


FallTale

by RazialNightfire



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Brutality, Cruelty, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falltale AU, Post-Apocalypse, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Violence, minimum tag use
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-03-05 13:59:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18830098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RazialNightfire/pseuds/RazialNightfire
Summary: FallTale is my original concept for a new AU for Undertale and merging it with Fallout game universe. Quite frankly I am writing this to break free of current canons of the various Au's of Undertale and each specific version of the characters everyone has come to know and love. The premise is what if nuclear war happened while the monsters were still underground and when they finally managed to emerge to the surface how would they survive the wasted world they would come to find. The Fallout universe is definitely a dark one and twisted. With the law of survival often being the only law at all. The weak are made to serve or be used by the strong as they see fit. There is much depravity, evil, and cruelty. With that said there is a good possibility that the contents of this story at times will make people uncomfortable, I will not be tagging with specific warnings this is the general catch all warning. I am going for immersion and for me tags can ruin that. So reader beware, and enjoy the tale I am about to weave for you.





	1. Prolouge: The End Of The World As We Know It

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank several people who have either encouraged me or helped me flush out the details of this story.  
> TheMsource- always fun to be around and super supportive... even if she hates my dustypool concept. Serious check out her stories they are AWESOME.  
> SansFangirl4life- another wonderful lady that often amuses me and has some pretty good stories to tell herself.  
> TurtleChix- another fan of the fall out universe as well as undertales. She has given me much inspiration, and has helped me several times when i've gotten the dreaded writers block. Again check out her stories.  
> TheChevy67ImpalaLifeLineTurret- once more another wonderful lady who definitely needs to post more of her stories.  
> RoseDarkfire- Last but definitely NOT the least. What can I say about this amazing woman. We've known each other for a long time and I can definitely say she is my soulmate. She is my muse, my friend, my tormentor, my heart. With out you this story would never come to be. Love you lil wolf. And for the love of the Deities of stories go check out hers. You won't be disappointed.
> 
> Anyways I'd appreciate comments, thoughts, and ideas. As everyone knows writers get stuck and sometimes just having a brief conversation with someone or just reading a comment can lead to inspiration.

202 years ago:

 

     The child had been walking for hours finally making it out of the city. She had been tired of being ignored by her parents. Two high level corporate CEO's who thought good parenting was seeing her a few hours on the weekend while talking on the phone dealing with business. Let's not even get into other children, she couldn't stand them, they were snotty and treated her poorly because she was so plain looking. She was definitely plain one those faces that just seemed one of the crowd; easily dismissed and forgotten.

     So, she decided to make her parents focus on her by running away to the mountain for a few days. She wore a hideous striped sweater that her mother thought was all the rage. Snot green with shit brown stripes. She paused when heard the familiar warning sirens in the city go off. Another bomb drill she sighed before she kept going. She'd only gone a little way a few minutes at most when she heard a sound like an explosion in the distance.

     Turning to see what it was her jaw dropped in horror as she saw the distinct mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb. Watching as parts of the city were engulfed in a raging inferno. Another sound that was far closer came behind her and before she could fully turn around bright light enveloped her for a moment. She didn't even get a chance to call out for her mommy before she was over came her body along with the rest of the surrounding area instantly vaporized. There was literally no one left alive on that day that knew of her or that she even existed. The child named Frisk was lost to history along with billions of other lives on that horrible fateful day.       

     Unknown to the world or more a forgotten tale that only ever mentioned in old fairytale books, the mountain held a secret a deep secret. It was the entrance to an underground world filled with non-human beings; hell, even none humanoid beings. The bombs didn't just kill off most the humans in the area but had leveled a good portion of the mountain.

     There had been a cave with a huge hole in it with a shimmering film over it or perhaps the more accurate term would be to say that it had a barrier. A barrier that had been keeping the denizens of the underground world from coming to the surface for thousands of years.

     Yet when the bombs leveled the mountain the barrier which was infinitely stronger on the inside than the outside collapsed and tons upon tons of rubble fell into and filled what was once the large gaping maw to the underground. It would take the denizens roughly 200 years before they managed to clear the rubble, thou at some cost to life due to the fact they had to dig upwards into unstable rocky ground.

 

2 years ago:

     The last of the solidified rubble gave way in a precise and planned manner to minimize risk to the workers. Fresh air from the surface rushed in for the first time in 200 years. They were surprised they figured they had only gotten half way up the shaft. Concern filled those that oversaw the project as well as those working on it. A volunteer was sent up to see what the deal was as bright light poured into the shaft thou it was only bright in comparison to what they had been use to.

     After an hour of careful climbing a large webbed hand gripped the side of the hole and pulled itself up. The figure that emerged could only be thought of as a monster from the old monster flicks that humans use to watch. Its skin was a motley earth brown and sea green and scaly. As it pulled itself all the way and stood up at only 3 feet of height it was clearly not human in the least.

     Two large bulbous eyes seemed to pop from a small head that seemed to merely exist to support the eyes other a small round mouth like that of a lamprey. Its body was in essentially blue overalls, but it was quite clear this creature was scraggly and supported by essentially a tripod set of legs each ending in wide suction cup like feet.

     Looking around the creature gasp at what it saw, the horror the disappointment clear... "What happened? What had they done? Its destroyed, its ruined" it thought to itself unable to speak. Before laid the remains of a ruined city and everything else was a dead waste land. The air in the distance was quite hazy as if filled with ash or soot from a fire.

      They had toiled for two hundred years for this to make it only to the surface to see the world from the time of their great ancestors lay in utter ruin. There were no green trees like the myths spoke of compared to the bluish trees that existed underground. Nor green grass, or small animals, no bright blue sky. No that was a hazy orange as if a film filter and been placed between it and the sky changing the color. Red tears poured from its eyes as it felt its hopes its dreams crumble into dust matching the ruined state of the land that it saw before it. "What had the humans done to the world?" it asked itself in painful disbelief.

 

2 years later:

     Over the course of two years the monsters and humans they had befriended often by saving them from the horrors of the wasteland had built up a large fortified settlement. Taking what they could from the underground and the nearby ruined city. King Asgore Dreemurr ruled over the underground and the Hole as the settlement had been named. Apparently after so much time they still hadn't realized that the Goat Lord as some called him in private sucked when it came to naming places.

    His wife and queen Toriel Dreemurr rules beside him, having managed to patch things up since the demise of their beloved children. They had decided instead of just making decisions to form a council of various monsters and humans, and one ghoul to decide how things should run in the Hole while everything underground was strictly the province of the two royals.

     The Hole proper was roughly a mile radius around the entrance to the underground which was the most fortified spot. The entire settlement was surrounded by a makeshift wall of broken concrete, sheet metal, long dead cars and anything else that was sturdy and durable. It had several makeshift watch towers. A large massive fortified gate that looked more like a medieval castle gate was one of the few ways in and the only way for caravans to get in. All the other entrances which were guarded twenty four seven only allowed two people at most standing side by side to pass through.

     Compared to many other settlements that the monsters had encountered in the past two years by far the Hole was more organized and built better. Care and effort went into each building even what would be considered nothing more than one room shacks. Thou granted it still all looked ruined and decayed save for a few buildings that had managed to be painted. Though irradiated rain had left those buildings grungy looking.

     Large windmills farther up on what was left of the mountain appeared to provide power to the settlement and while they did it was a ruse. Between the monsters and human scientists they had managed to develop a power generator of sorts that ran off the magma of Hotland in the underground and ran power cables to the surface.

                Over the course of the two years the monsters had found out an interesting fact a few actually. First radiation did not affect them. Though they were not entirely sure why. They could become irradiated but if they stayed in a place that wasn't irradiated the radiation would dissipate. They seemed to soak it up and break it down somehow which was strange given energy couldn't just be broken down. Another fact was that the Hole and the surrounding area's were relatively radiation free. But the most useful and important fact was that beings and items taken into the underground were quickly decontaminated of radiation.

     Due to those facts The Hole gained fame for having ample amounts of purified food and water as well as being able to cure radiation sickness . Though sadly early on the kind monsters learned they couldn't trust everyone as several attempts from various groups to take over happened. Still they opened their doors to good humans, ghouls, and even a few highly intelligent super mutants at least highly intelligent for super mutants.

     Using the fact they could purify things of radiation they built many rain collectors all over the settlement and then sent the rain down to the underground lakes and streams to be purified while bringing up clean water for the citizens as well as some to sell to caravans. About half a mile from the Hole was a large farm and the food grown was likewise taken to the underground to be purified. Magic was used to preserve the food so it wouldn't spoil.

    It would seem that in the desolate wastes that had become the surface during the absence of monsters, the underground and by extension the Hole was a paradise and safe haven like no other. Which had earned the Hole no end of enemies who wished to either exploit or keep its unique benefits all to themselves. Mainly raiders were the biggest issue such that as much as they hated the idea the Militia of the Hole actively hunted down raiders within a day's travel of the Hole.

     There was a run in with the brotherhood of steel, who initially thought the monsters were some new form of super mutant. But thanks to human intervention the brotherhood didn't try to start a war nor try to force the monsters out. In fact a few of the brother hood mainly older members no longer fit for brotherhood standards of combat retired to the Hole to train the monsters and the humans on the militia.

     Super mutants were always a problem typical if more than one showed up as they just couldn't be reasoned with and had a habit of calling monsters freaky freaks that were no good alive and worthless dead since they couldn't eat them for meat.

     Finally there was the Human supremacist group called the Guardians that were essentially the remains of what the humans called the Enclave. A group that believe that only humans should rule and be allowed to live and everything else including ghouls despite technically just being extremely irradiated humans should be wiped from existence. Luckily to date the people of the Hole had managed to repel every attack.

     There was one dark spot in the Hole's history the... Purists. Lead by a monster named Flowery who absolutely HATED humans, including ghouls unless it was the feral ghouls since they didn't bother monsters, and super mutants who preyed on humans. About a year ago Flowery and his followers tried to stage a coup and take over the Hole which they would have then started exterminating the humans or using them as slaves to work to death, but they were a minority of only about 25 monsters compared to a settlement with a combined population of nearly 200 that lived above ground mostly human. They were banished from not only the Hole but from the underground as the royals had deemed their actions and hatred to be antitheist of how monsters should be and didn't want them to influence the next generation. To date no one knows what happened to them thou they promised vengeance for being betrayed by their own kind in favor of humans.

    Thus was the history that was taught in the Hole's school for the history of the Hole, as well as both the history of humans and monsters. How both were needed to survive in this harsh devastated world. Unity and Cooperation were the key principals that everyone lived by in the Hole. One couldn't survive for long in the barren nuclear wasteland.


	2. Chapter 1: The Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to meet several of our cast of characters. And see how life is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so jsut to forewarn everyone. I had just finished this chapter when I posted the prologue. I hope to update a new chapter two or more times a week but I do have another story I am working on and this evil thing called having to adult and parent. So no promises. Anyways hope you enjoy.

Sheppard Kostra slowly woke and stretched his bones, turning his head he smiled and kissed his mates cheek getting a soft giggle. It might seem impossible for a skull to kiss someone, but the fact was Sheppard was a monster skeleton and his magic formed an invisible sort of skin when he wished it to. "Good Morning my soul" he would whisper sweetly to her. His soul mate Miravana, a human. She had short blond frizzy hair. Sharp grey eyes, a button nose and dainty lips that nearly always had a smile. Sheppard was a good two feet taller than her and was one the taller monsters above or below ground.

     "Good morning Papyrus" she said in a voice that really didn't match her form. It was a husky and low for a woman. Smiling she kissed him back softly. Miravana never thought she'd find a decent man and she had been right. No she had found a wonderful monster who loved not just her but her twelve year old son who she was only twelve years older than. She wanted to hate the raiders for what they did to her but they did give her, her son Max. Luckily the boy took after his mother for his features with similar eyes and hair, but a hawkish noses and fuller lips than her own.

     Papyrus had taken the name Sheppard upon reaching the surface all the monsters had save the King and Queen. Given that some monster names were extremely hard for humans to say or sounded disturbing to humans. The general rule was monsters only used their monster names in the underground or with very close friends and family. Hence why Miravana called him Papyrus. For his part Papyrus loved hearing his name on her lips.

     Suddenly a mass landed right on Sheppard. "PAPPY!!!" Max cried out as Sheppard wrapped his arms around his step son. He might not be his by blood but he was still his boy. "Good morning Max" he'd say before the boy leaned over to kiss his mothers cheek. Both Miravana and Sheppard were enjoying this while they could both knew any day now Max would stop rushing into the bedroom and thus would take one more step towards adulthood. The moment was ended with the shrill cry of an infant causing them all to chuckle "sissy up".

     Miravana got out of bed having just a worn nightgown on and walked over to the crib where her 6 month old daughter laid all bundled up. Un-swaddling her she picked her up and nuzzled her before handing her to Sheppard as was their morning tradition.

     "And good morning to you little miss Lily Ann" Sheppard cooed to the infant. Lily Ann was the first human monster hybrid to be born just as Sheppard and Miravana were the first human monster soul bound couple. Lily Ann looked mostly human thou her skin tone was slightly ashen. The feature that really stood out was her eyes. Instead of human eyes she had empty black sockets dark as the void itself, in the middle were two violet eye lights. That and the fact that she already had a full set of teeth including some sharp canines, which obviously made breast feeding a bit difficult and painful at times. Handing back his daughter to his wife Sheppard picked max up and got out of bed wearing nothing. At his full height he was a disproportion skeleton of 7 feet. Together Max and Sheppard would prepare breakfast before Max went to school and Sheppard went to work. Sheppard was the second in command of the Hole's militia, taking orders either directly from the royals or from Savea.

     Unlike other skeleton like monsters Sheppard's skull was scorched black and a rust colored metal plate was fused flush with a portion of the left side his skull, starting just a half inch above his upper jaw and going to his about half way back of his skull. He barely survived the operation that had been preformed to save his life that gave him the scorched look and made the metal plate necessary as that part of his skull had been blown away due to an encounter with the Guardians an ultra pro human group that thought to enslave or wipe out anything not fully human. His eye lights tended to change color depending on his mood thou always became red when angered or in battle.

     Meanwhile Savea and Techie were waking up and smiled at each other before getting out of bed and getting dressed. Savea was a piscine, anthropomorphic monster with greenish blue scales and flaming red hair that was kept almost always in a long braided ponytail. Her fins that lined the side of her head were black that slowly faded to a dark red near the spine tips of the fins. Her left eye was covered by a metallic eye patch while her right was a robotic eye. Having lost her only good eye in repelling raiders, Techie her soul mate managed to construct a robotic eye to replace it. Due to how long she had gone with the left eye being gone they couldn't do the same for that side. She use to sport make up under her good eye but no longer. Her front two upper teeth were sharp and slightly protruded from her mouth even when closed were black giving her a rather frightening appearance at 6 feet and 3 inches.

     She quickly dressed in her militia duty uniform consisting of dusty brown camo cargo pants, and a similar colored t-shirt followed by a thick leather jacket. On her left hip sported a 10mm pistol with a custom grip and an extend mag. Several small X's lined the barrel and receiver each indicating a kill she had made with the pistol. Finally sturdy black combat boots adored her feet. As usual she was the first to leave and would have breakfast with the soldiers in the barracks, something she felt helped improve moral. Giving Techie a quick kiss she headed out grabbing her favorite trident which had been modified to send a nasty electrical shock to those hit or impaled with it.

     Techie smiled "Be safe Undyne" she called out before stretching her dinosaur like body thou not in size as she stood half a foot as tall as her soul mate Undyne. Her skin was a mottled yellow, with surprisingly human like eyes despite being yellow as well. She would reach for her glasses putting them on first before dressing in slacks and a t-shirt placing a scorched and stained lab coat on. Despite the dinosaur looking body her arms ended in hands much like a humans thou they ended in short claws at the tips of the fingers. A long tail sported from her backside requiring her to have special pants and dresses. The crest on the back of her head went from motley yellow to a motley burnt orange. With several small black metal rings almost like earrings embedded into it.

     She was the head of not only the Hole's scientific research but is also the Royal Scientist for King and Queen Dreemurr. Finished she would make the bed and ensure their home was cleaned up she couldn't stand it being untidy, not that it was often in that state due to the fact Savea was big on things being put away in their place at nearly all times. Currently they were looking into seeing if they could use monster magic to reinforce or even add features to a couple of salvaged t-90 power armor units, with the hope that they could give human militia members who were assigned to the power armor unit more protection and potential greater functionality. To date they had yet to be successful in a meaningful way other than ensuring that the fusion cores never overloaded. It would be another long day in the lab, hopefully one the other projects she manage would bear some fruit so to speak today but first she had to see the Queen who had more a mind for science than her husband.

     Taking the half an hour walk to the orphanage Techie was greeted by several children playing in a fenced in playground. Thou originally built for the orphanage all children of the Hole and the Underground were welcome to use it and often did with Queen Toriel watching over each and every one of them as if they were her own. Walking into the large door of the equally large and wide building Techie was nearly ran over by a horde of children which made her laugh. It was always good to see children in such a state, it meant as adults they were doing things right at least when it came to the children.

    Heading into the office she found Queen Toriel or as most called her Mama Toriel she received a big smile as she shut the door "Good morning Alphy care for some tea?" she would ask in a voice that was just odd to humans as if a goat could speak human without going baaaa all the time. Queen Toriel had a white furry body with a Nubian goat like with no horns and long floppy ears kind of like a rabbit or a bunny. Her eyes very human like despite a slight reddish tint to them and the irises being a bit larger than a humans a noticeable difference. Her hands resembled paws for the most part but were as functional as a human hand just a lot hairier. She wore the traditional royal robe as always a reminder that despite now living on the surface she would never forget their past in the underground.

     Alphy shook her head "No thank you I just wanted to let you know that so far infusing power armor with monster magic has resulted with no appreciable results other than keeping the cores from being able to overload without that being the intent of the user, thou I think the soldiers would say that is a huge result, I was thinking of trying another route and seeing if we could store monster magic like a fusion core and run it off that it be easier to recharge and further running of monster magic might allow for our other failed experiments to succeed" Techie would explain frustrated with the project but nowhere near ready to give up, she couldn't they needed every advantage they could get to make the King and Queen's ultimate goal a reality.

     "I see well I guess you will need to start a new project into looking into how to store our magic safely and then be able to draw it out safely, its times like these I wish a few mages were around to consult" Toriel would comment much to the surprise of Alphy. While most monsters didn't despise humans, mages were another story all together.

     "Alright well than I better get going, we both know I need to keep an eye on the others to keep them from blowing up one the labs or getting themselves killed" Techie sighed. She just didn't understand how some people could be so intelligent and yet so terribly stupid at the same time. With that she excused herself and headed out and to the labs. She needed to get a hold of Mettaton soon as they had some upgrades she wanted to add to his body. But she knew first thing in the morning DJ Cybertron had to go on the air with the weather and news.

     Several hours later Sheppard had finished going over the Packs report. All the dog like monsters who had been in the royal guard were now part of the militia and typically worked at night given they could see better than humans at night as well as several monsters. A series of reports disturbed him and he walked down the hall of command to Savea's office. "Commander Savea I think we can expect a raider attack on the cattle farm soon. Got reports from farm hands and patrols of possible multiple sightings of raiders but they haven't been able to confirm" he'd inform her.

     Savea looked at Sheppard and took the reports from him with a sigh before going over them hoping he was just being his overly cautious self, but after scanning over them she had to agree. "Alright I want you to take a team of four and ten and be up there in position before night fall. You and those you select are to take the rest the day off, rest up spend time with the families, but no drinking for any of them" she ordered.

     "Yes Ma'am" Sheppard saluted having picked up some human military customs. He already knew who he wanted the moment she said four and ten meaning 4 power suit users not including himself and 10 regular infantry it was their standard load out. The power suits brought the heavy fire power to battle while the regular infantry had more mobility and were better at concealment. With that he saw himself out and went to one of his personal staff informing them to track down and have the names they were given to report to him immediately. An hour later he was on his way home he debated pulling Max from school early but no education was important.

     He had one last thing he needed to do to see his old idol Mettaton. Basically he needed to make sure the air waves on certain channels were kept clear in case they had to call for support. That and maybe a false report on several of the militia being sent in the opposite direction couldn't hurt. While Mettaton hated giving false news, helping to trick raiders was something he greatly enjoyed.

     Heading to the radio tower where Mettaton worked and lived Sheppard smiled. He did hope that one day they could get Tv's working again and Mettaton would be able to put on shows with other actors for the entertainment of all. The people needed something to take their minds off the everyday struggle to make it through one more day. Thou at the Hole it was definitely far easier than elsewhere. Walking inside he had to wait till the on the air light turned off before going into broadcast room proper. "How you doing Mettaton?" Sheppard asked.

     Standing up to the same height as Sheppard was what could only be described as metal encased generation 1 Synth or something similar to a terminator robot without skin. Thou unlike either there were some serious differences starting with the fact that he wore 9 inch stiletto high heel thigh high black boots. A large purple fur coat was around it with a silver looking belt that had the MTT brand on the fore front. Also he seemed at least from the face to be male if a rather feminine female instead of having a metal skull he had an actually face. with violet eyes. The face was powered white due to make up with purple eye shadow and lipstick. With what could only be described as an 80's rock band hair. His arms and shoulders were lined with spikes like from a leather jacket and sort of gave him a meat grinder look.

     Smiling at Sheppard "Hello darling and how is my favorite number one fan today?" DJ Cybertron asked. his voice high pitched and having a synthetic digital sound ((think Daff Punk vocals)).  DJ Cybertron would always do what he could for his fans but especially Sheppard who had managed to save the core of his old body when super mutants had attacked when DJ Cybertron and others were setting up radio towers throughout the area surrounding the Hole. So for Sheppard there wasn't much that DJ Cybertron wouldn't do.

     "Well you won't like this not completely, need you to give a false report of a good portion of our militia going to the southeast  for nighttime training exercise." putting up a hand to stop DJ Cybertron from instantly complaining "Raiders were spotted near the brahmin farm. I've been ordered to take a team up before dawn and deal with them" his tone unusually cold compared to how chipper it typically was.

     DJ Cybertron hated giving false reports, but this was a very good reason. "Alright lovely anything for my favorite fan, how's your wife and children and I still not happy that I can't report the birth of your daughter 6 months later" he'd complain.

     "They are all doing fine and it's not safe, she is the most unique sentient being in existence right now, slavers would do anything to get her, and I shutter to think what would happen if the Guardians found out" Sheppard reminded. DJ Cybertron nodded, he couldn't as much as he wish he could argue with those being the reason.

     "Heard from your brother?" DJ Cybertron would ask. Not realizing that Sheppard's brother Vagus really couldn't stand him. Sheppard shook his head his face sadden "No last anyone heard of him was a month ago when he left for his deep recon and trading mission. I'm rather worried he's never been gone more than two weeks" Sheppard admitted, getting a pat on the shoulder from DJ Cybertron "You know he will be fine, he's one the toughest of us, besides if he gets in real trouble he will just shortcut home like when he wound up in a Deathclaw nest".

     Sheppard nodded "Alright well I'm heading home spend time with the wife and kids before tonight. I'm not too worried about the raiders but well better play it safe and give them some good memories" with that he headed out and straight for home.


	3. Raiders in the dark.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so Sheppard is forced to defend the Hole's assets.

The men and women of the small taskforce were restless, waiting was the worst part of the job well other than you know screwing up and losing a limb or dying. Each had been handpicked by second commander Sheppard who they all had come to respect and trust during their time in the Hole's militia.

     The fifteen men were positioned in such a way as to make a large U. The four power armor users Snake, Jester, Preacher, and Vixen were the farthest out so they could blast any raiders from the sides while cutting off escape route. Sheppard was at the bottom of the U with 5 infantry soldiers spread out on either side. It was a standard formation they used when dealing with beings that should have some intelligence but typically didn't like raiders.

     They had arrived about two hours before dawn after a hour long walk at a slow pace. They had used the time to help the farm hands wrangle all the brahmin in the barns which looked more like concrete bunkers. It wasn't unusual for the brahmin to be wrangled at night given the amount of predatory species the wastes had birthed over the past two hundred years. Then they had the farm hands seek shelter under the ranch house. A bunker had actually been built underneath or more to say the ranch house had been built over top a prewar bunker. Just in case Sheppard and his team failed the farm hands would be safe and could radio for reinforcements.

     There was one last member that Sheppard grabbed despite being told to bring 4 and 10 and that was Mage.... a very deadly human. Mage was on top of the barn with a sniper rifle and when he took the first shoot that would signal them to begin the attack. Mage was a former Riley's Ranger a grizzly veteran of numerous fire fights and combat missions. No one actually knew his real name as he was really private about his life. Which was fine with Sheppard at least when they were in the field since he didn't bring Mage along to socialize.

     Now they just had to wait for the goons to show. It was pretty bad but Sheppard was hoping they were carrying some useful gear and plenty of ammo, ammo was hard to come by at times. Medicine would be even better. Nothing was worse than seeing a sick child in the Hole, given monster medicine didn't always work on humans or had dangerous side effects. It was why Saeva had deemed it worth the risk of sending a task force into the super mutant area of the city which included a hospital. Luckily that endeavor had gone well with no loss of life or limb. None of them wanted to watch a child die from sickness again. It was something that had deeply disturbed the monster population of the Hole.

     Sheppard cleared his head it was no time to think about other things, doing that could get him or one the others killed. He knew what his problem was he was worried about his brother Sans. He nearly lost himself in thought again when he heard voices coming from in front of his position. He took a quick glance at the power levels of his suit and waited for the signal.

     It would seem like hours had passed by hearing the raiders chuckle amongst themselves about what they were going to do to the inhabitants of the barn especially if there were any females. Which really set Sheppard's bones on edge and he could feel his magic turning with in him wanting to be released but he held firm and quiet like the rest. Then it came a shot rang out as one of the raiders head's exploded in a shower of blood, guts, and bone fragments. The infantry members opened fire from their positions and the dark night came alive as if mini fireworks were constantly going off. It became evening more of a light show when the raiders recovered from their initial shock and attempted to shoot back.

     The high pitch whirl of revolving barrels could be heard before a stream of bullets arced across the battle ground from four different angles. There was no mistaking that sound of buzzing going thru a fan as the power armor squad members opened up with their miniguns sending nearly a 100 rounds per second into the raiders. From his vantage point he could already make out the slowly building red glow from the barrels. He could hear a few tinks from bullets hitting his own armor and finally got up and charged into the fray.

     Unlike the others his power armor was a true custom piece of work that had been created jsut for him. It was far thinner than standard armor and thus weighed considerably less giving him farm more maneuverability . It had been streamlined to conform to his unusual body at least compared to a human and then DJ Cybertron  had put some artistic input in. It looked almost like a metal skeleton with massive bones. Thought his didn't have the typical helmet that the T-90's had instead it was more like a metal skull placed over his own giving him a truly terrifying look. Sans had the bright idea as a joke to attach a red sheet to the shoulders to be a cape just like the costume he had made for Sheppard when they lived in the underground.

     Opening fire with his automatic laser rifle sending a series of beams of deadly light into several raiders. One of the raiders yelled out "IT'S THE BLACK DEATH". Sheppard quickly lit the raider up whose body quickly glowed red before turning to ash. Sheppard HATED the nickname he had earned from the Hole's enemies when he was in his power armor. Since his armor was black and looked like a skeleton itself, it quickly got named the black death. Couldn't they have come up with something better, like the Great Sentinel.  

     "WATCH OUT!" he heard and looked over just in time to jump out the way of a rocket that had been fired at him, hitting the ground a several feet away from where he had been standing just as the rocket exploded in a violet plume of fire. On pure reflect he grabbed a frag and tossed it. It arced through the air before hitting the ground and rolled a few feet before exploded in a much less impressive blast. The two raiders were sent flying while a few others nearby dropped as shrapnel from the explosive shredded their bodies.

     Lawrence cried out in pain as he caught the spread from a shot gun to his right thigh. "Maverick get him out of here" Sheppard bellowed to their team's medic. He didn't look to see that it was done he had no time as he got up a raider was upon him swinging a sledge hammer towards his face. Sheppard fell back to avoid the potential death blow and opened fire. The buzz of his automatic laser rifle filled the air along with the stench of scorched flesh. The raider cried out before going silent and dropped to the ground.

     Just as another raider came upon the prone Sheppard the sound of ripping flesh could be heard. Sheppard looked up to see a Mr. Handy Buzzsaw blade tear into the raider. Blood sprayed all over and Sheppard was forced to wipe the visor section of his helmet so he could see. He watched as Gumbo pressed on the attack till he had sawed right through the raiders spine cackling like a mad man. Sheppard had no time for that conversation as he opened fire on incoming raiders causing them to take cover. How many raiders were there it was getting ridiculous Sheppard thought.

     Maverick dragged Lawrence behind a clump of trees and frantically pulled out his medic kit. Lawrence was in a bad way with a decent hole in his chest. Still Lawrence was lucky a quarter of the inch over and it would have hit his heart so there was a chance to save him. Wasting no time Maverick grabbed his forceps after probing the wound with a finger finding the lead all in one piece... another blessing. Quickly but painfully for Lawrence he fished the bullet out before packing the wound and bandaging it. It was the best he could do under these circumstances as he couldn't risk sewing him up without sending Lawrence into shock.

     It would seem like wave after raiders came at them. It seemed these raiders were heavily armed, as more rockets were fired and the air was filled with a damn near constant sound of gun fire. The Hole's forces were forced to regroup into a defensive formation taking cover where they could. The battle was not going as they had planned.

     Sheppard swung his armored fist into the face of a raider. Her shriek of pain echoed above the gun fire as she was sent sprawling. Sheppard was a bit stunned not that a raider was female but the fact she was dressed in nothing more than a pair of shorts and what looked like a fish net weave leaving her small breasts exposed for all to see. Sheppard was rather disgusted, though the raider being a basically naked female didn't slow him down as he slammed an armored foot on her head crushing into a meaty paste.

     Sheppard didn't have time to even think of what he had done before bullets hit the dirt all around him and he was forced to retreat back quickly while firing more or less aimlessly towards the raiders. It was definitely a spray and pray maneuver meant to buy him the time to seek cover. Getting behind a large tree he continued to fire at the raiders for what felt like forever to him pausing only to replace spent energy cells the weapon used for ammunition.

     The fighting continued for another hour when all was said and done. The Hole's forces were the clear champions of the fight through they had sustain injuries and Lawrence was still fighting for his life due to his injury. Forty some raiders laid dead around the battlefield or what was left of some of them. Sheppard was forced to turn away. He had no stomach for the aftermath of a battle.

     "Alright contact a salvage team and take defensive positions and tell them to send medical pick up for Lawrence and have doctors waiting on standby" he'd order heading to the barn needing to get away from the stench of death that filled the air before he got sick to his stomach, which wouldn't have been the first time that happened. His brother joked that he wasn't meant to be a fighter with a stomach like that. Sheppard  agreed when his brother made the comment giving him a dishearten look, but if not him than who else would stand to protect the Hole.

     Six hours later they were finally heading home, tired and sore. Their gear, and bodies covered in dirt, sweat, and blood from the battle. Their previously chipper attitudes gone just like the ashes of the raiders that had been stripped and piled on top of each other before being set on fire. They couldn't risk burying them since the smell of decaying flesh would draw all manner of wild predators to the area. They were still waiting on word about Lawrence.

     They walked in silence each lost in his or her own thoughts. All Sheppard wanted to do is bath and snuggle his wife to him and forget about this horrible deadly night. It had to be done, but every death always weighed heavily on Sheppard's mind and heart. It might seem unusual given how the soldiers were acting compared to what most novels portrayed, not that the Hole had a giant library of prewar books or anything like that but.... It seemed this band of warriors weren't the kind to celebrate the death of an enemy.

     Mage looked at them all with a indifferent look on his face as if what had happened didn't faze him one bit. Truth be told it didn't, not the slightest. Killing was what he did it was just a part of life. Thought he did envy them for not being so numb, to still be able to feel something other than just simple relief that one had survived. "Oh well" he thought to himself "Guess after I clean up i'll head to the bomb shelter for a few drinks" he mentally concluded.


	4. The Inheritors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So we meet Thorn and Muffet of the Inheritors. Monsters that were banished from the Hole for trying to wipe out the humans of the Hole when they couldn't enslave them in revenge for being imprisoned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok this is a clear warning. This chapter is EXTREMELY disturbing and twisted. I did not enjoy writing it and in fact it gave me nightmares. But it is a much needed chapter to show case how fucked up the world of Falltales truly can be. I'm not going to bother with tags on this, I will say that I don't think what happens in it should ever be allowed to happen, even if monsters were real. That said it is an essential chapter like I said to show case how dark and fucked up things can get in the world of Falltales, as well as introduce one of the major antagonists of Falltales. So read at your own risk.

     Thorn(aka flowery) was beyond livid, but what did he expect he sent managed to con a bunch of idiot humans, and these were idiots even by human standards to go try to destroy or at least significantly damage the Hole's main Brahmin ranch, that and to take out one skeleton just one. In his outrage he sent his thorn covered vines whipping into the air catching one their poor human victims across the chest tearing bits of flesh from him as he screamed in pain and started to sob.

     Not in the mood to listen to sobbing Thorn sent his vines into the wound and literally tore most of the shrieking in pain human's flesh from his muscles of his torso it landing in sick wet strips on the floor. Instantly two small misshapen looking monsters with eyes where their navel would be and mouths for hands fraught over the flesh. Grabbers that's what they were called and their heads were giant fanged mouths supported on a squat torso and four stubby legs. "Ah so much better" came Thorns high pitch and dark voice.

     He could hear muffled screams coming from deeper in the cavern that they called home at least for now at least till they could reclaim what was rightfully theirs... the underground. Disappearing into the ground he'd pop up in Muffet's area. The female spider like monster was currently riding some poor human male that was encased in a cocoon of her webbing other than his shaft. Thorn grimaced, he'd seen this before. Muffet was taking her rage at being rejected by humans as a companion because a humanoid spider was just to unnerving to them.

     He watched as she bounced her abdomen on his shaft as the man muffled screams came out of the webbing. In a chitterling voice she cooed at the human "Awww loved stop pretending you don't enjoy my female parts you know it feels so good". Thorn knew better it was one the reasons she had joined him as she was also rejected by all but the insectoid monsters as her lady parts as she referred to them typically cut into flesh even flesh made of magic. Blood could be seen staining the white webbing around the males shaft.

     Muffet shuttered letting out a high pitch series of insect like keens as her body climaxed having forced the male to give up his seed to her. Climbing off she grinned before re-cocooning his shaft. Stroking his body through the webbing she grinned if you call it that. She really didn't have the ability to really make facial expressions. "Oh that was so nice" she'd coo again, the sound of her cooing always disturbed Thorn but he wasn't going to voice that he needed her on his side.

     He watched as she suddenly bit into the middle of the cocoon causing the encased male to scream in agony as she injected her venom into his system. He would scream for the next day or so before finally expiring as his inner organs liquefied slowly and painful. Then Muffet would come along and essentially suck out the liquid leaving a desiccated husk. Turning she noticed Thorn and seeing him frowning she walked over.

     "I take it the humans failed, well it can't be helped we are not yet in a position to strike at them ourselves now are we darling" she would say gently caressing the petals around his face trying to sooth him.

     "Of course they failed why should we get lucky and actually get competent humans to do our dirty work for us." he would sigh calming now from seeing the humans suffer and Muffet's affection towards him. "So that little project we discussed any luck?" he would ask her smiling evilly.

     "Of course darling we've managed to get hold several radscorpions and I found some rather large radspiders now to see if they can be somehow be trained or if that fails controlled and infused with our magic. Sadly all the spiders are female so we need to hunt down some males to breed more. If I'm lucky one might take a liking to me" she giggled disturbingly.

     Thorn nodded, thought he didn't understand Muffet's desire for offspring he never had that desire to have offspring, granted he practically hated everything with few exceptions, but hell if she had offspring well it would add more soldiers to his cause. Nope he wasn't above using children to fight his war against the ones that turned against him and the others and sided with the despicable humans that ruined the world and imprisoned them. They would all pay especially the one known as Sans and his brother Papyrus. If it hadn't been for them the Inheritors would have wiped the Hole clean of humans. Hell San's wouldn't have gotten involved at the time if it hadn't been for the fact his brother was soul mated to a human. That vile thought sent a sickening shiver through flowery.

     "Alright well then use the contacts we have forged and find yourself some male spiders. You find them I promise I will find a way to bring them to you" he chuckled darkly.

     Muffet nodded and released and grabbed a cloak and a specially made waste landers gas mask to make her seem human before heading off towards the raider hub they had found when the inheritors made the caverns their base. Sinking back into the ground he traveled deeper fall deeper than he allowed most to go, to HIS special project.

     Opening a cell door he sent his vines in to dragged one of the well fed humans out a female it would seem who was screaming as she was drug out not that she could fight given they were kept bound with a feeding tube strapped to their faces. She body was bloated from all the force feedings and even if not bound it was more than likely she wouldn't be able to move very fast. Dragging the dirty pig as he called these humans behind him he locked the cell door.

     After a bit he entered a large cavern with bones skewed all over. Sending his vines into her limbs he infused her body with magic forcefully causing her to shriek in misery. Music to his nonexistent ears. At the other side he could hear the sound of his project snorting and moving around from its enclosure.

     Thorn closed the giant gate to the room before going to the other massive gate and pulled the lever that would open that set of doors before sinking into the ground making his way to the other side to listen and watch.

     It wasn't long before his project found its meal and began to carve meaty fatty flesh from the human who was screaming even more loudly than Thorn thought was possible. Pity if he had known she could scream like that he'd kept her as one is play toys till she eventually succumbed to death via one manner or another. Compared to that this was a sweet tender loving mercy he was granting the human. Deciding to let his project enjoy its meal in privacy he headed back to the pig cell and noted he was low on pigs. He would have to get some more from the slavers.

    After a bit he headed to his private chambers where several humans were naked and bound looking them over he sent vines into one the smaller ones a child causing the poor child to scream in absolute terror and pain. He couldn't get enough of the screams and pain on their faces and he learned that using a child first created much more pain for the adults. While the reversed caused more fear for children.

     The child struggled in its bounds before letting loose a cut off scream as its heart was torn out of its stomach. Bringing the still beating heart Thorn devoured it and felt something this time that he'd only felt three other times. A surge of power of life, a bit of his old and true self. Unbinding the corpse he used his vines to move it around mocking the other still living humans "Do you want a hug I'd give a heart to get a hug" he taunted one the females with the corpse causing the female to just sobbed relentlessly.

     After a bit he grew bored of tormenting his food stock and tossed the corpse down a chute to the kitchen to be carved up and served to the other Inheritors as well as some of their more useful slaves. If only the slaves knew that the meat they receive was actually their own kind... the irony wasn't lost on it since he had often observed them fighting over the meat.

     Meanwhile Muffet entered the raider hub known purely as pleasure town and it was such a pleasure for raiders and slavers not so much for anyone else but Muffet loved it. The raider boss's knew what she was and who she was connected with which made her one the ones that were protected as long as she didn't do something stupid and she wasn't stupid by far. Which meant these raiders were off limits for her desires for company. Pity some of them were pretty beefy and she was sure they would have given her immense sexual pleasure and a very hearty meal in deed.

     Heading to the slaving area she met up with her favorite slave. Sludge a disgusting looking human whose left side of the face had been partially melted from what she wasn't sure but he was cruel to the extreme always separating family's and selling them to different buyers.

     Placing an arm around him she grinned or would grin if she could under the gas-mask "Sludge how's my favorite guy doing, I need a little help and for your trouble plenty of caps, also I'm sure Thorn needs some more fluffy slaves you wouldn't happen to have any for sale now would you love" she spoke in her chitterling voice. Something that oddly Sludge had found comforting.

     Sludge gave a big smile "my dear sexy Muffet, of course I have anything you need save my body since well I know what you do with your playmates so you can't blame me there". Knew fuck he had watched once while he fucked one the human slaves that their group had brought even came back to suck out her liquids. It had basically been sex for Muffet and Sludge and a shared meal. Yes Sludge was that disgusting and demented of a human. He was Muffets soul mate at least in spirit.

     "So beyond the slaves what can I do for you?" he would ask leading her to his building and pulled out one the cocooned meals she had left there. "Here you go a nice meal for my lady" he would say sweetly to her causing her to giggle. "Such a gentleman you are with me, I need to find more radspiders males specifically thought I won't be upset if you can only find females I know unlike me it's impossible for you to identify genders and going by size might just result in small females" she would say before a sick slurping sound could be heard as she had pulled the mask off and tore a hole in the cocoon and sucked out the fluids over the course of several minutes satiating her hunger.

     Sludge grinned as he motioned to one of his guards to get rid of the finished meal and to harvest the spider silk since he had found a way to make good rope and even cloth thread from it netting him a tidy profit for nearly no expense but a slave here and there. "I'll send out the word and when they are found I will get the same team to capture them alive and unharmed for you my dearest". He didn't know what they wanted the radbugs for but he had an idea given their hatred of the Hole. A bug army that had been somehow modified to be more destructive. He hoped when the time came they'd let him watch the party so to speak.

     Muffet hugged him before leaning back on the worn love seat he had, it was always so comfortable after she had a meal and didn't feel like moving around much. "Excellent Sludge, Thorn will be quite pleased and don't worry you and yours will be sparred his wraith and his hate, your more monster than human anyways" she promised believing that what she said was completely true not realizing that Thorn intended to wipe all the humans in the world out.


	5. A Reason For Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and so some of our cast get some good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i felt this chapter was a much needed balance compared to the prior two darker chapters especially the previous chapter... shutter.
> 
> I want to thank everyone for their positive feed back and the Kudos. I'm amazed by how quickly this AU is catching on.

     Sheppard was on his way home after writing the reports as he walked through the streets he felt incredibly dirty and unclean. He always felt like this after he had taken a person's life be they human, monster, ghoul, or even super mutant it always bothered him. Such that he wouldn't even touch his wife of kids till he showered.

     "PAPPY YOUR HOME SAFE!" called out Max which caused him to look up and waved. He was surprised to see Saeva walking him to school but it he was thankful since his wife couldn't and despite trusting all the humans in the settlement well there was always the chance of a bad one slipping in. IT had happened before luckily they were able to rescue the abducted child. As for bad monsters well they purged them, those that didn't leave were dusted.

     Max ran to him before Saeva could stop him but came up short when he saw and in some ways felt how Sheppard was feeling. Not that he actually felt it but Max was very in tuned with subtle hints when it came to others moods and could tell right away what mood Sheppard was in and knew he wouldn't want to be touched till he showered. "Glad your back pappy I will see you after school" he would say getting a smile from Sheppard. Max then walked back to Saeva and headed off to school.

     Once more on his way home Sheppard would wave to people and stop and talk here and there but did his best to avoid physical contact. Which wasn't like him, he didn't realize that a lot of people wanted him to be replaced as second in command but because killing bothered him so much and they didn't want that to change since he was such a rare sort of soul that valued all life.

     Sheppard was also worried it was the second raider attack in the Hole's territory in a month. They normally only got one every two or three and it was typical some bandits trying to hit a caravan. Yet this time they were targeting strategic resources of the Hole. He'd talk to Saeva about increasing patrols and possibly looking into ways to strengthen defenses after he got some rest which he was seriously in need of and it probably take him a few days to get to his normal sleeping habits.

     Finally reaching home Miravana smiled at him but let Max came up short when she saw his face. "Oh Paps I'm sorry you had to go through all that again" she frowned her heart breaking for him as it always did when he got like this. Moving so he could get past her to the shower she sighed watching him. She hated this part of his job, why he insisted on staying with the militia, he should just stick to teaching at the school with her. He was truly his name sake a Sheppard of the community  especially the children and she loved him all the more for it. But it took its toll when he was forced to take life to protect life.

     She couldn't have found a kinder gentler loving soul than she had with Paps. Yet he took on one the most terrible burdens that one could take on. She just hoped it didn't eat away and rot his soul that would destroy her. Hearing her daughter cooing she smiled, she knew exactly what her husband needed after his shower. As she went to retrieve her daughter from the basinet she felt a lurch in her stomach suddenly and raced to the sink before emptying her stomach into it. She was fighting to keep her long hair out of it when she felt a familiar hand grip her hand and hold it out of the way.

     Sheppard frowned this was the second morning she got sick "We need to take you to the doctor, actually maybe I can get Techie to drop by" he would say thinking that be better since then they wouldn't have to risk taking their daughter out of the house and exposing her to the world. Neither of them planned on keeping her hidden for too long just till she could run.

     Once she stopped he got her settled with some crackers on the couch then picked up Lily Ann and smiled as he kissed her forehead. This was what he needed to calm his tormented soul. His mate and his daughters love, only two people were missing for him, Max and his brother. Then it came to him and he frowned which got a concerned look on the infants face. Despite being so young Lily Ann was rather expressive and seemed to easily pick up on emotions.

     "I think we need to get a hold of my brother, the attacks seem so different so focus I worry there is more behind simple raider raiding" he'd admit getting a very worried look from Miravana who took their daughter and held her protectively close.

     "No I don't believe it's that, I'd more expect the Guardians or that splinter group of the Brotherhood" he shuttered. The crafters focused on genetic technology and after some incident they fled the Brotherhood with what they could, it was known they had created a variation of super mutant that was more intelligent but mentally unstable. But regardless I think we need my brother here. Out of all of us he is the strongest and most dangerous..." he would comment getting a yeah right look from Miravana. He didn't blame her while all the Monsters knew his role as the judge only the Royals, Undyne and himself knew the extent of that role and the power he had access to. HADES.... he mentally shuttered then focused on his family to get his mind away from those memories.

     "I'll head out and in a bit and see if I can get techie to come over and check on you", Miravana nodded and rested her head affectionately against him. Honestly she'd be content with life if she could just stayed cuddled to her boney knight as she often referred to him as. They'd met when he saved her from attacking raiders. Of course she was terrified of him when she first met him but his sweet nature won her over quickly and they formed a friendship they grew into love followed by marriage. As bad and hard as life was she honestly felt she was in paradise. He was her heaven, her children her angels, and her brother in-law her comic relief.

    A few hours later Miravana was being woken up having fell asleep on the couch cuddling Lily Ann. Blinking she jerked to find a dinosaur in her face. "Oh sorry Techie I didnt mean... I meant you ...." Techie chuckled.

   "It's alright my face isn't what you expect when you wake no offense taken. Now Papryus mentioned you've been getting sick lately so I'd like to run a few simple tests and take your blood. I am pretty certain what the cause is but need to confirm" she'd smile before taking the blood causing Miravana to tense up. Poor girl hated needles but who could blame her after what her father had become like. A jet addict always shooting up till it eventually had killed him.

     Taking the blood she dropped a few drops of a liquid from a vial while she waited for that she took her vitals and since she was there did a check up on lil Lily ann she smiled and nuzzled the infant. Perhaps it wasn't professional behavior but she helped bring the baby into the world and was named one of two god mothers, Undyne her soul mate being the other. For her attention she received the cutest coo from Lily Ann. After examining her she turned to her parents "Well Lily Ann has gained proper amount of weight and height. She is in perfect health both for human and a monster baby".

     Handing Lily Ann to Paps she checked the blood and saw it had changed color due to the solution she added to it. She grinned big "Well that confirms it I know the issue. Apparently you two have been quite active and busy lately" she giggled due to Pap's confused look. "Miravana is pregnant again CONGRATS" she exclaimed in unbridle excitement.

    Sheppard and Miravana looked at each other the pure shock and joy on their faces was readily apparent. Both embracing the other as Sheppard placed a hand on her stomach. "I can't wait to meet you my Lil one" Sheppard said in the sweetest of voices getting an awww from Techie who giggled when Sheppard raised an eyebrow at her.

     "I'll let the king and queen know as well as Undyne, won't your brother be surprise...." she stopped seeing the worried look on Paps. The truth was they were all worried he hadn't radioed, hadn't sent a message or anything. What more is they suspected he was depressed and the wastelands were not a place for anyone suffering from depression. The last update was he was crossing the Hot Sea. The hot sea wasn't water but highly radioactive sludge that was extremely dangerous to cross but traders did anyways as it was the safest route to the lands on the other side.

     "Papyrus I know your brother is fine he's probably just found an old joke book in a ruin somewhere or has been negotiating to get traders to make the trip our way. Which mind you those that don't its extremely hard to convince to cross the Hot Sea. OOOOHHH on that note it's not completely finished or tested but we may have created a vessel that can traverse it and protect non monsters from the radiation. But if it works well the potential other applications could be well it could change so much for the better be the jump start civilization truly needs to conquer the radioactive waste land".

     Sheppard looked at her with astonishment. Between monsters natural ability to cleanse radiation, and something like that the world could be potentially partially rebuild. The only other issue was getting flora to make a comeback. So far the efforts had been mostly in vain due to radioactive rain. The only bright spot was the Arbor that had been created in the underground that had all kinds of surface world plants in an attempt to keep them from dying out. The monsters were doing all they could to save and rebuild the world.

     "If you need any help any at all let me know, I know I don't know much about science but i can help guard and carry stuff as well as follow instructions" Sheppard offered.

     "I will keep it in mind but right now the biggest thing you can do to contribute is to keep on teaching the children to care for the earth and one and other, the more education we get them the better chances we will get another scientist that will make some ground breaking breakthrough that will change everything for the better" she said with great optimism.

     Once she left she headed straight for her mate finding her working the recruits thought a grilling them through basics. Waiting till they were done she met Undyne in her office. Looking up Saeve got up when she noticed her and hugged her tightly kissing her mate's lips affectionately. After breaking the loving kiss she placed a hand on her hip. "What's up love, you never come near the meat head training unless it important". Yes Techie considered the job of a soldier as only one step up from manual laborer at least the grunt soldiers and seeing all that wasted brain power just galled her to no end.

     "Well first the bad news, Sheppard hasn't heard from his brother either, we might need to consider sending out a search and possibly rescue team for him." Alphy explained. Normally she stayed out of her mates business of running the militia other than making requests for guards or manpower on practically labor intensive projects, but this involved what she considered family.

     Undyne frowned at that she had been hoping that at least Sheppard and heard something. "I'll talk to the King and Queen they typically know more of his missions than I since they personally assign them if he doesn't just go out on his own. I miss our old lazy bone buddy." she said softly getting a nod of agreement.

     "Now the good news and its completely hush hush take to your grave news". She giggled knowing it drove her mate nuts when she talked like that. Yep she was getting the stare, which wasn't as bad now than when she had her actual eye. "Alphy...." she warned her lip twitching just a bit.

     Alphy couldn't help but giggle some more "Miravana is expecting again" she beamed. Saeva's face went from annoyance to pure Joy as her heart swelled with happiness for two of her favorite beings other than her mate. Then she remembered she had news of her own.

    "So you know how we were talking about kids ourselves how well we can't have them biologically without some extreme science which we both against, well some of the troops brought some refugees from a raider attack. There is this adorable pair of siblings who just lost their mom and dad. They currently in quarantine. I've met them and they are sweet hearts and trying to be so brave right now my heart just broke for them. I was thinking we could adopt them. They weren't frightened of me at all, just asked lots of amusing questions".

     Alphy blinked at that, it was an ongoing debate between them with her being for adoption and Undyne being against it since they were so busy but if she was suggesting it then.... "Oh god yes right away we could give them so much love, and children above all others deserve lots and lots of Love." she squealed "We must inform Toril before she makes space for them. It be harder on them if they got attached to the other orphans." Alphy added with nearly too much joy and excitement to contain herself given she was typically shy and kept very contained.

     "Well we got two weeks to get rooms ready since you know quarantine protocol for new residence". All new residence were required a two week quarantine least they were sick and a plague or something similar spread. Disease was their biggest fear worse than raiders or creatures from the waste.

     "Well we have several unused rooms that just holding random stuff we can clean out and outside necessary furniture they can pick their own decoration. We need to get them clothing as well" she started going on about everything they needed to do to get ready making Undyne laugh. Life had definitely gotten better despite some dark parts that didn't seem to be leaving anytime soon.


	6. Beyond the Hot Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A search and rescue mission is sent in place and runs into problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i really struggled with writers block on this chapter but it finally managed to break free of that metaphorical wall. Just so you all know I have not yet even got to the main plot which centers around Vagus.

    They had given things another full week before the decision had been made. Surprisingly there had been no argument from either royals nor the advisory council. They would send three teams to look for signs of Sheppard's brother Vagus. The orders would be simple, search for signs or whereabouts of Vagus. Locate him and make contact if possible, if he was in trouble extract him and return to the hole. It was a volunteer only mission given they had to cross the Hot Sea. Sheppard wanted to go but Saeva vetoed stating he needed to stay close to his wife and child right now. She was right but it still bugged hum he couldn't search for his brother. All in all they got the teams they needed three teams made up of monsters and humans there was technically a forth team going that was made up of non feral ghouls but they were going to check specifically with ghoul populations on the other side the sea.

     Each team had a medic, a scout, a negotiator, a gear head, and a squad commander. Team Alpha was composed of Chulutulul, she was the only monster member on the team the rest of the team were composed of rather average looking humans. Alex, Manny, Keith, and Samual. The five of them were a tight knit group and volunteered together. They had become a family with Chulutulul treated as both a younger and older sister depending on situation they actually all lived together like siblings.

     Team Beta was composed of Vincent, Cory, Kale, Rylax, and Nina all were grizzly veterans of fighting raiders and guarding caravans. It was the only pure human team and would be used to mainly interact with settlements least the monster members of the search and rescue teams come under fire being mistaken for some new horror from the nuclear wasteland.

     Team Cappa was made of Vlak, Kou, Mynth, Sally Mae, and Arron.  They were definitely an odd team given none of them really could stand one and other in social settings, but in combat or when doing construction type work they got along perfectly. It often baffled everyone but not all relationships were easy to define or clear cut.

     Team Delta was made of Nix, Pixie, big Mike, Allison, and Burn all ghouls. Each of them had been around since before the bombs and possibly were some of the few that truly understood the pain the monsters felt seeing what had become of the world. They also secretly hoped that possibly the monster's innate magic would change them back but didn't count on it.

     Sheppard prayed they had some luck. There had been additional rules they had to radio in every three days if they found they couldn't get a signal they had to head back to their last position where they had gotten signal. They weren't going to take unnecessary risks. Everyone that volunteered felt they had a debt to pay to Vagus. He had either saved their lives in the past or a loved one, or had fought by their side at one time or another. Perhaps if Vagus knew how many people were coming to bat for him he might not have suffered the depression he had been lately.

     It would take a week for the teams to make preparations, Techie was not happy about putting the Crawler into commission since they had only done limited testing. It wasn't that it wouldn't move through the radioactive sludge it would slowly it was more the radiation shielding she was concerned about. To be safe all the teams would remain completely inside the ships hold the most shielding part of it since that was where food would have been stored. Monsters would man and run it with several of her assistants to run various tests and check readings and fix something if something should go wrong. They estimated it would take two weeks to cross the hot sea and that was assuming no bad weather and nothing really nasty lived in the sludge. There was always stories of some poor smuck trying to cross it for something big and disturbing to drag them into the sludge. Techie believed there was a possibility but it was a very remote. Even highly irritated creatures were typically consumed by the intense radiation.

    The two week trip ended up taking three they had misjudge how much strain the sludge would place upon the engines and had to repair them while they more or less sat dead in the water in the middle of the Hot Sea with no chance of help being able to get to them. Luckily between the crew and the scientists that had come along for its maiden voyage they were able to repair the engines. That was the good news the bad news was that they had to completely rebuild the engines if they wanted to make it back. Thus after radioing in they were to delay their mission and find the equipment and supplies needed to fix the Crawlers engines. Though if they happen upon signs of Vagus they were not to ignore them but to follow up on them.

     When Sheppard heard of this turn of events he was livid at first till Toriel explained that they had to first make sure the teams could return safely nor could they risk leaving the crawler where potential enemies of the Hole could repair it and use it against them. Even his brother couldn't transport the crawler to the other side of the Hot Sea. At least they had an idea of a few landmarks and settlements due to the few traders that had made the journey.

     The teams were given different tasks, Alpha would scout the surrounding area in a two mile sweep while making a detail map. It was imperative that they knew of any nearby resources and dangers. Team Beta would head to the nearest known settlement that was about 10 miles away at least according to a map that had been put together from talking to traders over the years. From there they would hopefully get more information about settlements and interesting locations on this side of the Hot Sea.

     Meanwhile team Cappa would be setting up a temporary base and defenses in case the crawler came under attack. They couldn't afford to lose the only way home, even the ghouls were worried about having to be exposed to that much radiation at once since there was always the possibility that it would turn them into glowing ones and in doing so also change them into ferals.

     Team Delta would head out and try to find any non feral ghoul safe havens since those would be difficult to locate, and ghouls typically had more knowledge of geographical locations than any other group of sentient beings in the wastes. They'd also be keeping an eye out for Rad Zones so the other teams could steer clear of them.

     First though they had to unload the crawler which took over a day that and then they had to set up basic defenses before any team was willing to head out. They may not all get along but they all would be damned if they left the others in a undefended position. So all in all it was three days later before Alpha, Beta, and Delta headed out. While Alpha only had a short range recon mission once finished they would slowly expand farther essentially patrolling for trouble as well as hopefully finding something useful. It had been a frustrating series of days since the area they were in was more of a desert climate thus making things almost unbearable.

     Finally on the fourth day since arriving the teams could head out. Despite being a bit apprehensive due to not knowing what they were going to find or run into the teams were glad to finally be able to get a move on. They needed the Crawler fixed so they could resume the original mission of finding Vagus, or at least an indication of his whereabouts. They also knew at any time they could be called back because Vagus suddenly returned home out of nowhere due to his particular talent for teleporting. Something the research scientists were still completely in the dark on how it worked.

     Bidding one and other farewell the three teams headed out as the sun set since it would be far cooler to travel in rather than under the heat of the sun. Sure their vision was cut down in the dark of night but compared to the ever present risk of heat stroke during the day it was a safer risk.

     It would be three weeks before the teams met back up with success and failure. They had managed to build a secure fortification from stuff found in an old junk yard that Alpha had found. The other teams had come back with parts that were needed. Yet they came upon no signs of Vagus. Despite that they had a small rumor to go on that Delta came across. Apparently a lone wander had been seen crossing the wastes a few months back completely covered head to toe wearing a black duster. Thought the ones that provided that information was sure the wanderer had perished given they would have easily died of heat stroke being dressed as they had. It was still something.

     The other good news is that while the human settlement had been rather wary and untrusting of its visitors, the ghoul enclave that was found had welcomed them with open arms and even done some light trading. Most importantly had managed to give the teams a rather detailed map of the region over 100 square miles.

     Already the royals were planning on sending an ambassador to them to establish better relations. Also due to Alpha's surveying they had found a area that would make for a good site to build a fortified outpost. If The Hole was to have more interactions on this side of the Hot Sea they would need a foot hold, a supply base which meant they needed a truly fortified position to defend said supply base. It had been agreed that they would delay the mission two more weeks so the crawler could head back and bring more help to start construction as well as materials. This time they would carry extra parts for all the critical systems of the Crawler. The teams would work together to prep the area for the outpost as well as ensure any hostile creatures, or forces would be pacified.

     Back at the Hole Sheppard was beyond livid and was throwing his bone magic at nearly everything outside of the settlement. It looked like an old battle ground with bones jutting out of the ground everywhere. Saeva had hauled him out of the settlement the moment he got the news about the change of plans yet again. She didn't blame him for being upset but how he was handling it wasn't acceptable given he sent a huge bone straight into the conference table for the council. So now he was where he couldn't damage anything important.

     Normally Sheppard was cheery and pleasant but he had a temper thought nowhere near as scary as his brother Vagus's. Nightmares were made from people seeing his rage unleashed. Saeva shuttered at those particular sets of memories from when they were still trapped in the underground. Occasionally a human would stumble in unable to get out. Some were used in a sacrifice to try to break the barrier slowly. Most where just taken care of but a few well they were the incarnation of evil. Eventually they'd cross a line. Typically the royal guard would imprison them, but occasionally they would be unable to change the humans ways and eventually a monster would die. Then they faced Vagus.... Saeva shuttered again.

     So Sheppard's venting of anger wasn't that bad in comparison, she did notice that he was able to affect a much larger area than he use to. Seems he has been training his magic. Grabbing one the bone spears yanking it out the ground she realized it wasn't magic anymore it was physical, it was material. Was this due to his magic becoming stronger, the radiation, or something else. Granted during a fight the magic persisted but she could see that two hours later of rampage he had finally calmed himself. Which meant the magic should have dissipated but the spears remained.

     Saeva needed to inform Techie of this and bring one the bones, the implications could be bad or good she didn't know it wasn't her area of expertise. She just knew that a change like this needed to be studied by her scientifically inclined mate. Walking to Sheppard "alright you've been at this long enough what is done is done and seriously you worry about him too much out of all of us he really is the most powerful" she comment trying to make Sheppard see some logic.

     Sheppard shot her a glare that would have most pissing themselves. He didn't care how strong his brother seemed in a fight. He knew his brother was suffering on the inside. A deep loneliness as well as the ramifications of those that he had to Judge or deal with specifically the evil humans when they fell in the underground. None of them understood or saw Vagus at night when he thought no one was looking. The misery in his soul. Besides no matter how strong something was it always had a weakness it could always be broken.

    Reluctantly he left with Saeva knowing he had to apologize for his behavior even if he felt he had rightly lost his temper, it was more the actions he took after that that were unacceptable, especially by his own standards. He had to get this worked out of system before he went home. Miravana didn't need to be worrying about him she needed to focus on the life growing inside of her.


	7. The Lone Wander

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vagus is finally introduced, and acquires a slave girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, but life has been busy and its taken me some time to collect my notes and thoughts for this chapter. Let me know what you all think in the comments section.

     Approximately three days hard travel away a lone figure was crossing the barren wastes, specifically the scorching hot desert of bones. The desert had been named that from all the bones found all over from creatures and men that had succumbed to its hostile environment.

     The figure was clad in an ashen duster, a matching short brim cowboy hat. He wore a gas mask even in the heat that completely concealed his face. His hands covered in ashen colored. Dusty faded leather pants adorn his legs, a hand gun of some sort was holstered on his left side and a vicious looking knife on the right. The pants where tucked into a pair of ashen leather boots. A simple back pack was strapped to his back. There wasn't a speck of skin to been seen of the figure as it walked across the barren waste.

     As the figure made his way along a ledge he could hear a scream and turned to look to try to identify the source. After a few moments of scanning the area he could see where it had came from. Down below the ridge he was traversing was a woman beset by a pack of Mongol dogs. Despite her cries for help he kept walking doing his best to ignore what he had seen. It ate at him, sure he could easily make it down there, easily kill the savage wild dogs, but from the amount of blood he saw, she wouldn't make it more than an hour before death finally took her. No as harsh as it seemed letting the mongols kill her and devour her corpse was a mercy, a quicker and less painful death.

     It sickened him all the way to his soul, but he couldn't change what was to be at least not in this case. Perhaps if some of his comrades were here it be a different story but he had little in the ability or knowledge of healing. He'd gotten maybe 100 feet before the screams came to a stop and so did he. Looking towards the ground for a few moments as if giving a silent pray to the woman, then the figure started walking once more.

     Finally as the sun set and the crescent moon rose he spotted his destination... a slaver's camp. Well it was too large to be a camp more like a small little village, of village of death, rape, and cruelty. Mankind made him sick at times, it amazed him that there were any good ones at all given what they were willing to do or allow to be done to their own kind. He would have spat on the ground in disgust if it wasn't for the mask.

     Given his disposition of the slaver's camp it seemed odd that it was his destination. Yet it was his best chance to get information about the area. He was far, far from home. Far from anything he knew, far from safety, far from his loved ones. Yet it was for them and them alone that he traversed across the wastelands. In search of resources, allies, and dangers. Sadly the wastes bore more dangers than it did resources or allies. He steeled himself for what he might witness and just hoped he could keep his temper in check. Last thing he needed was to lose his temper in a place like that with people like them.

     An hour later he arrived and was stopped by a typical raider. Dirty dressed in makeshift clothing and typical raider armor was worn thought in this case her tits were completely exposed not that she really had much to show off. He was thankful for the gasmask there wasn't a raider he had met yet that didn't reek. He seriously wondered if they actively avoided water.

     "HEY I'M TALKING TO YOU!" she yelled at him as she lifted up a baseball bat that had tons of nails piercing through it. She took a step towards him. "What you doing here stranger?" she asked as a few others came around sizing him up. He waited till she was close enough before striking. One moment his hands were at his side the next he had yanked that bat from her.

     Finally he spoke the first time in days, a week he wasn't sure. In a deep baritone voice that seemed to roll smoothly like waves across water "Looking to buy information, perhaps supplies, maybe even a good time. Yet you best tell the idiots trying get behind me they so much try to swat one the flies buzzing about them and you're going to be in for a real BAD TIME".

     Now most raiders aren't stupid, ignorant as all can be yes but stupid no. The female in front of him quickly realized that he was not worth trying to challenge. Something about his tone suggested he'd leave them all dead for the damn dogs to feast on without giving a single thought to it. Stepping aside she let him pass. Just then she noticed Ruger who was pretty much useless outside a fight or the bed started to draw his pipe pistol.

     "RUGER STOP!" she yelled but it was too late. Turning quickly the figure whipped the bat through the air, it smashed into Ruger's already ugly face and caved it in. His body dropped lifeless to the ground. The figure watched the others to see what they'd do. After a moment of silence it seemed they weren't going to do one damn thing. In fact they were actively trying to ensure they didn't make eye contact.

    As he walked through the camp he tried his best not to really see what was going on. At least as much as possible. He couldn't miss the nude woman bound to a wall as raiders took turns tossing darts at her. She'd scream in pain every time one hit her, which would make the raiders laugh. Her body was bruised all over, and he could see several healed over whip marks marring her flesh.

     His anger rose in him like bile nearly choking him but he pushed it down, but not before promising himself that he'd see justice done here. In that moment alone he had already judged them all, the wicked would get what was coming to them. A few dogs had come up to investigate his odd scent but then they felt the rage the menace the promise of death and they scurried away from him as fast as they could and didn't stop running till they were far away from the camp. Instinctively the dogs knew they were safer in the wastes than in that place with that being.

     Finally after searching around and asking around he found the camp's equivalent to a tavern. The moment he walked in he regretted it. The stench of multiple unwashed bodies was enough to make most regret it but it what was going on inside that made him truly regret it. Just as he walked in he watched as some poor naked and clearly abused woman was slammed over a table only to have some drunk raider slam his shaft into her ass. She screamed in utter agony as she was violated. The one raping her laughed as he kept thrusting into her ass. There was no compassion or anything she was just the poor unfortunate that he chose to indulge his desires in. Luckily for the woman he didn't last long but before she could even speak as she was dropped to the ground he grabbed her hair and shoved his shaft into her mouth making her choke then she began to gag a few moments later as he relieved himself in her mouth. Piss dribbled down her chin and neck as she coughed and gagged. The raider laughed even more before throwing her from his sight. She scurried out into the night sobbing blood running down her legs.

     Making his way to the bar counter if one could call it a counter he waited and as he did he heard a lyrical voice talking to a raider explaining where something was. The more she talked the more he started to realize that she seemed to have knowledge of the area surrounding the camp. Finally turning to the voice he was surprised by what he saw. Black hair reaching all the way to her ass. She was covered in dirty clothing but unlike the other slaves and she definitely was one with the iron collar around her neck all her parts were covered as if to keep from tempting any of the males. For a brief moment she looked over at him and he found that she had beautiful chocolate brown eyes, that still held not only warmth but intelligence to them. She was tiny probably no more than five feet, and definitely on the underfed side. As far as he could tell her body was unmarred which was a marvel given the habits he was seeing around the place. Her skin was definitely sun kissed that gave her almost a glow from the lighting in the place.

     "What you want and you pay up front" came a gruff voice from a rather well... disgustingly large woman who seemed to have no concept of modesty. Her sagging flabby tits hung to her stomach, though her navel was impossible to find given the rolls upon rolls of flabby flesh. Her pock marked jowls hung nearly to the mid of her neck or so it seemed. Given her girth he doubt she could even get out the place's door. Pointing at the girl that had caught his attention "HER"

      The woman laughed "don't you all but none of you cheap ass's can afford her, now that settled what you want I don't got all day". With that she slammed one her beef paws because at that size they couldn't be called hands any more.

     Reaching in his duster he pulled out a sack and let it drop on the counter, the distinct sound of clanking caps could be heard. "Price" was all he would say causing the room to quiet. A raider came up behind him thinking he was going be crafty and snatch the bag. Yet no sooner had his arm reached for it than there was a flash then his now severed arm fell to the ground as the raider screamed in pain, blood gushing from the stump. The figure wiped his long knife on his duster before putting it back in its sheath and turned back to the vile looking woman. "Price".

     The place was now dead quiet save for the screaming raider who was being dragged out either to be left to die or perhaps an attempt to stop the bleeding the figured didn't know and didn't care. "500 caps and I ain't haggling, she hasn't been touched I've seen to that, and she healthy".

     Opening the sack he began to pull one cap out after another counting them. It took several minutes till he reached 500 and from the sound of the bag there was plenty more inside. Yeah he would have been a tempting target but after what just happened there wasn't a soul that was willing to try. The woman he was buying looked at him with fear, no not fear absolute soul crushing dread.

     The bartender looked at all the caps before using her meaty hand and arm to pile them to a side and then into a box that was below the counter. Then she turned to the woman she just sold off "Alright Serenity you belong to him now" she would say as two raiders approached Serenity and bound her hands together and attached a chain to the collar. Walking over the figured took the chain and then held his hand open as a raider placed a key in it. Stuffing the key in a pocket the figure lead Serenity out of not only the tavern but the camp. She whimpered a bit nearly frozen with fear of what the man was going to do to her. They walked for a good hour before they came upon a cave. Leading her in he helped her sit before removing the bindings and then the collar.

      Removing his pack he pulled out food and handed it to her "Eat you need your strength, I have to go back and get some supplies. You will be safe here but unable to leave" he would state before walking out. A moment later an almost blue film like substance seem to raise from the ground to the mouth of the cave and then the figure was gone.

     Serenity waited and waited before finally figuring he was gone and ran to leave when she smacked into the blue film. It held her in he wasn't lying she couldn't escape. She tried and tried till she was exhausted before pulling herself back in to the cave and curled sobbing with fear of what would be done to her when he returned, she would end up passing out before he returned.

     The figure stood on a ridge and watched as the camp burned. There wasn't a living soul left in the place. Every raider and slaver was now dead either directly by his hands or by the raging fire. He'd freed the slaves had them take what food clothing and weapons they could carry before looting the place himself then set it ablaze.

     When he returned he found Serenity sleeping, she looked so delicate and peaceful. He waited till she woke naturally thou he did lay a blanket over her. He needed to find her better clothing than the rags she was wearing. When she finally woke she moved as far back from him as she could. He couldn't really blame her he could easily imagine what was going through her head. " Serenity I'm not going to hurt you quiet the opposite I'm going to keep you safe and eventually lead you to a place you hopefully never have to encounter a raider again."

     Oh such sweet words he uttered but she wasn't stupid the only place she could think of that was raider free would be heaven if it even existed. Yet the way he said her name and the words it made her foolishly hope he was telling the truth. "My name is Vagus Kostra, I come from the Hole perhaps you have heard of it".

     The Hole seriously what slave hadn't heard of the place it was said to be the closest thing to paradise left in the world. There could be no way that this Vagus could be telling the truth. Besides there was this rumor about it was founded by monsters. Now the only monsters she knew of were raiders and deathclaws. Well feral ghouls could be considered monsters, yet that wasn't what the rumors hinted at, rather it hinted at beings that really weren't human ever. It had to be a fairytale; The Hole, the monsters all off it.

     Sudden she heard the sound of metal unsnapping which pulled her from her thoughts. She noticed he removed his duster and fear poured through her once more. His back was to her and she saw as he placed the gas mask down but he still had a hood on.

     Slowly Vagus turned to face her and her eyes went wide as he pulled the hood back. He had no skin, it was just bone. His head? skull? whatever looked odd it was rather round and he had no eyes other than what seemed to be two blue lights in the middle of empty sockets. She blinked when he smiled and removed his gloves, revealing bones. No this couldn't be real the raiders had to have slipped her something. Wouldn't have been the first time thought Alma bashed the head in of the last raider that slipped her something so no but ....

     "Take a breath kid, or do you need me to toss you a bone?" he asked smirking at his little pun. After a few minutes with her not responding he shook his head "Don't be a bonehead I know I'm Bone-iful but seriously you going to give me a complexion" that finally caused her to snort. Those puns were horrible but she couldn't stop laughing, she kept laughing and laughing till she finally started to sob. Vagus wrapped his arms around her "sshh it's going be alright, dem bones never lie you know" he would say and she sobbed snorted at the same time.

     It was odd for the first time since before her parents were killed and she was taken by the slavers she felt safe... and that scared her more than anything because she was afraid it was all just a cruel hallucination or a dream and she'd wake up in that awful place waiting to be raped because she knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

     After a bit she finally stopped sobbing and Vagus wiped her tear stained face. "I went back freed the others, killed the raiders and slavers, by now there should be nothing left but smoking charred remains. I need your help through, I need information about this area and what lies around. We thinking of expanding out in this direction and we need to know what resources we can find, and what troubles coming this way will bring".

     Serenity looked at him and realized he was serious. Now she understood why he had brought her, not for her body but for her mind. For some reason that touched her, made her feel something she couldn't quite describe or even understand at the moment.

     "Once I get an idea of things and a feel for the lay of the land I will take you to the Hole. Tried to offer the other slaves but they just ran after grabbing what they could. Won't lie thought I put a few out their misery as painlessly as I could they were beyond saving beyond fixing" he would say with a deep regret.

     Serenity nodded she fully understood what he was saying "thank you" was all she could get out before tears rolled down her face once more. These weren't tears of panic, or fear, or even her own emotional pain; But rather tears of hope for those who no longer could cry, hope that they were finally at peace and their suffering was truly over.

      Smiling at her he stretched before yawning he was tired he'd used quite a bit of magic and was in needed sleep. "We going rest here for the day and will start traveling tonight, it be safer then. You should get some more rest use my duster as a pillow" he'd say before releasing her and moved to lean against the wall of the cave. After a few moments his eyelights seemed to fade till there was only black for his eye sockets.


	8. So It Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vagus and Serenity start off on their journey together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So want to apologize for how long this update took. But Life got in the way.

     Serenity woke she had the most interesting dream pity it was a dream since well skeletons couldn't talk which meant she was still a slave and sooner or later she would be sold violated and eventually killed in a horrible way. Slowly opening her eyes she looked around the unfamiliar place she was in. "great" she thought to herself seemed some raiders had slipped her something and moved her as a practical joke, more than likely designed to make her strip.

     Slowly getting up she finally took a look around something about this place seemed very familiar. "Well g' morn'n Serenity" Vagus would say only to get a scream that made him visibly wince before Serenity passed out. Vagus sighed he really, really, really hated when that happened. He figured he'd be use to it by now but nope. Mutated creatures from the waste that looked like they came from a bad indie sci-fi movie that everyone could handle but a talking skeleton nope seemed no one handled that well. He still didn't react to it very well and frowned for a brief moment before he started getting things packed up.

     They needed to get going the moment she came to since he was sure within a day or two raiders would show up or slavers and then start looking for whoever killed their meal ticket. Going over the supplies he had gathered. Mostly ammo and guns, but plenty of food and surprisingly purified water. He'd have to save that for serenity while he drank the irritated crap he hated the taste but there was other problems to much irritated exposure and he'd begin to give it off till his magic could deal with it which would put any humans he came in contact with in danger. It was why he had the suit it isolated him from radiation.

     Seeing as serenity was out he used the time to gather everything and then disappeared. One moment he was there the next gone. Of all the monsters he was the only one with this ability. He called them short cuts, but essentially he knew he was teleporting. It had its limits, he couldn't bring others with him unless they were close to death or his brother. It was due to an experiment he had been working on with his father to find a way out of the underground but it went horribly wrong. It killed Gastor or so he assumed there wasn't a way to prove it but he couldn't disprove it neither. Further it altered both his and Sheppard magic more him since he had been standing only a few feet from Gastor, Sheppard was behind a shielding unit and so the effect had been weakened.

     Afterwards Vagus was able to teleport to place he'd been to before yet he couldn't get out of the underground because he had been born in the underground him and Sheppard. Also depending on the distance traveled it would drain him more and more. He also learned during a pretty dark period in his life that he couldn't kill himself through teleporting if it would leave his magic so drained that his life would be in peril he simply couldn't teleport.

     For three days they had been trapped in the basement unable to get out. So force prevented them from leaving. It wasn't till the end of the third day that Vagus had figured out the entire basement was essentially in the void but not full. It had been by chance that he manage to teleport out when he was holding on to Sheppard. It took him three weeks to figure it all out. Sheppard never wanted to go in there again and helped him brick up the door way to the basement and as far as Sheppard was concerned no one had been in the basement since. That wasn't the case, Vagus had slowly converted the basement into a large storage area over the years keeping useful things in it. Yet it really showed its use since after they got out of the underground. He could store stuff for trade and then pull it out when he got to his destinations including all the caps he typically used for bartering and trading with and for. The only real issue was in area's with too much radiation or when he was too irradiated he couldn't access it or even short cut.

     It took him 3 trips to move everything that could be stored in it. Organic matter living or not couldn't be stored there without him in it. otherwise it would break down and if it was living well it was a painful horrible but quick death... poor scruffy, a mongal dog Vagus had tried to save that had taken a bullet for him.  

     He had just finished when he heard her stirring he just hoped she didn't scream again he already had a minor head ache due to her last scream. Surprisingly he was a bit sensitive to high pitched sounds or maybe it was high pitch sounds filled with dread, he hadn't tested his theories. Pulling his hood on and his back to her he waited till he heard her voice.

      "Ugh where am I and who are you? What kind of drug did you use on me?" she would ask and he couldn't help but think her voice was utterly magical sounding, if there were angels they have her voice or at least one of them would.

     "I didn't give you anything, everything you remember is true. Your free after I brought you here and I'm a talking skeleton monster so I'm begging you don't scream again that really rattled my bones" he chuckled.

     Serenity wanted to scream again but his pun had her giggling. She must be losing her mind a pun making skeleton with a good heart. It didn't seem real, and that was the reason she was having trouble accepting all this. Because despite being a monster he wasn't a monster so to speak. Moving behind him she placed a hand on his face and it felt well boney but only for a moment then it felt like she was feeling flesh despite it caused her fingers to tingle in a pleasant way.

     "So the Hole it's not a myth?" she asked and Vagus would hear the desperate hope in her voice. It was obvious that hope in the Hole actually existing had kept her going this long despite the eventual fate she most likely was facing till he showed up. "You said something about information?" she asked.

     "I need to know everything you know about this region, eventually we will be expanding across the Hot Sea I'm a deep range scout for the Hole, I've been gone from my home for many months now. I need to see the people and places with my own eye sockets, know the dangers that we could face here. The creatures, the factions who would make good allies, who we can expect to go to war with... We have created a sanctuary but that was just a step. We monsters we have seen what humans have done to the world how they have ruined it, but we don't blame all of humanity only its corrupt leaders. Just as leaders in times far past banished us to the underground. It wasn't humanity it was the leaders who feared us, feared that we would take their power from them make them unneeded since we had a better way of living. We plan on restoring the world someday" he would admit.

     He didn't know why he was telling her something like that. It was one of monster kinds biggest secrets. Their end game goal as it were for the world. To restore it fill it with green once more, to clean the waters and the skies all of it and then the hard part bring back animals of all kinds. The council if they knew would have his ass especially the royals if they knew he had told her that he would be in some serious shit beyond shit. But something about Serenity it made him want to keep giving her hope for a better life. She deserved it and she could still have it. The world hadn't killed her soul yet like so many he had seen in the wastelands. Yeah they lived but it was a hollow existence, no more than walking husks with no soul, no emotions inside.

     Serenity blinked a few times she still hadn't looked at his face she was a bit scared but his words, was he telling the truth. She'd heard so many rumors among slaves, slavers, and raiders. Did they really hope, no did they really think they could restore this wasted dying world. For the first time in a very long time she felt something inside her lighten and brighten... filling her, filling her with the one thing she was scared of more than death.... HOPE.

     Swallowing she moved to look at Vagus's face. He had a damn cheeky grin on his face to that made her either want to slap him as if he had told some insulting joke or just laugh at him for a cheesy pun. He wasn't scary hell and she couldn't believe she was even thinking this.... he was kind a cute you know in a talking skeleton kind of way.

     Once he was sure she was not going to scream he spoke some more "First we need to find a town that you consider safe, need to get you traveling clothing and traveling supplies. A few weapons would be good as well do you know how to use anything other than a stick or a stone even though they can break some bones" he chuckled. she rolled her eyes and covered her mouth trying to muffle the giggle that escaped her lips. She saw his face light up his smile it went to his eyes. He didn't belong in this world, someone that could smile like that by just making someone happy for a moment no he was too good for a hell such as the one they were in.

     "Admit it they sent you on this trip because they couldn't remove your bone box to get you stop punning" she smirked at him at her only poor attempt at a pun but Vagus started laughing a full hearted laugh. For some reason for Serenity that laugh was worth more than all the radiation free food and water in the world to her.

     Vagus smirked at her after he stopped laughing "More to keep my bodder from strangling me, thought by now I am sure he's worried about me" he would say and then his face would turn into a look of sadness. He missed his brother dearly, his sister in-law and most of all his adopted nephew and niece. Little Lily Ann how he missed that sweet baby. He didn't realize as he thought of his loved ones a single cyan tear rolled from his eye socket and down his face.

     "Vagus what's wrong are you hurt" she asked starting to look him over but she didn't see anything physically wrong. Maybe he was injured in a way she couldn't see he was a monster after all.

     Vagus shook his head "Not injured but I hurt in my soul. I miss my family especially the little ones in my family" he would say so he wasn't exactly revealing he had a infant niece. "It's been a long time since I've held them, played with them, joked with them, and gotten them to laugh and smile. Of all the reasons it is for them that I am out here trying to make the world a better and safer place for them."

     Serenity looked at him and she felt a pain in her chest. It seemed monsters weren't much different than humans when it came to family. She hugged him knowing what it was like to miss your family, in her case well she'd never get to see them again. "You will see them soon enough, as long as you both live" she would say a bit bitterly. Her breath hitched when he hugged her back suddenly she was crying into his shoulder as she finally was able to mourn the loss of her own loved ones.

     Vagus let her cry till she cried no more. He heard the tone in her voice the pain, the envy. She must have lost those she loved, it was often he heard that story in his travels of the wastes. Everyone had lost someone dear to them at least those that ever cared about anyone. He could feel her pain as if it was his own and had he really been focusing on himself rather than her that mere fact would have scared him.

     Finally after a bit Serenity stopped crying and slowly composed herself, she went to thank him for letting her cry but he put a single bony finger to her lips and shook his head. Helping her up "We need to get going which direction should we take?" he asked as they left the cave.

      She could see the smoke cloud from the slavers camp what was still burning. What happened there how did, no she didn't want to know how a kind soul like Vagus pulled something like that off and she knew he had. Looking around she noticed where the sun was and where the camp was which let her get her bearings. She would point to her left "Three days travel is a fortified settlement, the raiders left it alone since traders would come and well occasionally they'd hit the caravans when they were low on supplies. They are good people who make a habit of hunting any raider they see" she would mention.

     Vagus nodded before going back into the cave a few minutes later he came back out once more fully dressed. Now she understood why he dressed as he did. To keep from scaring locals, or being thought of as some new type of ghoul and attacked on sight.

     For three days and two nights they traveled mostly in silence a crossed the wastes. It was safer that way letting them hear if something was coming and at night it made it so they were less likely to be found or at least to draw something to them.

     As they reached the large closed gate doors which were made of lots of sheet metal a voice called over from above "What your business here?" came a voice that just sounded unpleasant and crabby.

     Vagus went to speak but Serenity beat him to the punch "Martin its Serenity, Serenity Rose.... Mr. Vagus here is a trader and managed to get my freedom from the slavers" she would admit to the voice. Vagus was still looking trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. They had set the gate up pretty damn nice. If given a chance he would definitely try to inspect it as it might be a good defense the Hole could use.

     They waited what seemed hours to Vagus but he knew it was only a few minutes. He had been getting ready to grab Serenity's hand to short cut them out of there expecting them to be attacked when the gate began to swing out. Two massive doors opened up and what did they find when it opened. Ten armed men all pointing their guns at Vagus and Serenity. He didn't blame the towns people for being cautious but if they ended up harming him or Serenity even accidentally they were going to be in for a really BAD TIME.


	9. The Settlement

     Vagus noticed that their weapons were pointed more at him rather than Serenity, seemed the situation was just slightly better than his initial assessment. Still not the best situation to be in thought he had been in far worse, he just hoped this could be resolved peacefully without him having to hurt anyone.

     Serenity was not happy and it showed when she marched right up to an older weather faced man with a long gray beard. Small glasses sat upon his nose making it easier for his gray eyes to see. He wore simple worn farmer clothing and had a wide brim straw hat on his head. In his hands was an assault rifle with a large ammo drum. Vagus was wondering if Serenity had a death wish moving that quickly towards them.

     Vagus winced when the sound of a hard slap could be heard and echo. All eyes locked on to Serenity and the old man whom Vagus was assuming was Martin. He didn’t realize that Serenity had a temper like that granted he hadn’t really had a chance to get a read on who she was as a person yet.

     The old man looked at Serenity with surprise and shock. He’d never seen the slap coming not from her. Hell he remembered when her Momma was brought into the settlement to see Dr. Stills because she was going through labor. He’d seen Serenity grow up over the years till they came across her family’s farm about two miles from the settlement and found it torched and the bodies of her parents charred and still smoking a few years ago.

     “Really Martin is that how you treat guests that have showed absolutely no aggression towards the settlement, not even counting the fact he saved me from those cretins?” Serenity shouted her voice full of anger and disappointment. Vagus could see several those that held guns on him move their gaze towards the ground.

     Martin seeming to recover from being slapped and his disbelief from who had hit him. His eyes narrowed a bit and then he let out a sigh though his gun never moved from pointing at Vagus. “How we know he ain’t one and ain’t using you to get in so he can open the gate at night?” he questioned. It was a legitimate concern, typically only raiders and slavers could get along or deal with one and other with out having to seriously worry about it being a trick.

     Serenity huffed and stomped her foot down as she crossed her arms over her chest. She spared a glance at Vagus and then remembered they didn’t know what she knew. Letting out a sigh she uncrossed her arms and laid a hand on Martins shoulder. “Look okay he’s a stranger I get it, and he sorta dressed like a well off raider or wasteland wanderer. He’s not a threat…. he’s …. he’s from the hole and I know it for 100% fact and truth”.

     Vagus mentally sighed he just saw it coming they’d want proof and if he showed them well he could still get shot up, which meant he’d have to grab Serenity some how and short cut home over a series of short cuts since he couldn’t go directly to the Hole from here due to the Hot Sea, the radiation basically created a wall in the void he couldn’t move through. “Serenity….”

     Vagus didn’t get a chance to finish what he was going to say. “Bullshit the hole is a myth probably a damn raider trap and you being fool enough to believe him” Martin spat out now angry since he was sure this Vagus was using sweet Serenity to lure others to enslavement and death.

     Serenity just about had it and grabbed Martins gun and jerked it so the barrel was pressed into her gut her eyes fiercely locked on Martins. No one seemed to take a breath, as if afraid the slightest movement would cause the gun to go off. “If you don’t believe me than your going have to shoot me to shoot him, he saved me from a horrible and cruel fate…. And the Hole is real, monsters are real and not talking deathclaws and feral ghouls, Vagus isn’t human he’s a monster” she yelled at not just Martin but everyone else.

     Vagus wanted to slam his head into a solid wall a few dozen times now with Serenity revealing what he was. He was sure his ass was going to get shot and that was going to suck. He wasn’t worried to much about dying it take a lot of shots to drop him, perk of being what was considered a Boss monster thought perhaps a better term would be calling him an Alpha monster.

     “Girl you know I couldn’t shoot you, your like a granddaughter to me, but he’s obviously drugged you or done something the Hole, Monsters its just a myth” Martin stated firmly and tried to pull the gun back his finger now off the trigger and found it wasn’t budging. Granted he wasn’t putting much force into it as he didn’t want to hurt Serenity.

     Deciding he had to do something Vagus sighed. “The raiders and slavers will not be coming here, at least not unless necromancers exist… lord I hope none of those still exist” he shuttered at that thought. At one time there had been essentially a clan of monsters before the time of the war between the humans. Unlike the rest of monster kind they were evil and had a special magic. They could and would animate dead bodies to do their bidding. It was the only known war monsters had with their own. Suffice to say that clan of monsters was utterly wiped out.

    “Whatca mean they won’t be coming here and what the hell is a necromancer?” Martin asked his gaze focused on Vagus wondering if this Vagus was just a CRAZY. CRAZY’s were worse than feral ghouls since you couldn’t spot a CRAZY on sight and they could seem normal at first glance.

     Vagus rolled his eye-lights, so much information had been lost to humanity “A necromancer is a being who can use magic to animate the dead and make them do their bidding, they created things like vampires and such. So to make sure there is no misunderstanding the raiders and slavers are all dead, honestly expect to see some former slaves showing up at your door” Vagus would explain.

     “Now you talking bullshit, it take a small army to wipe them out and last I checked neither the NCR nor the Legion have any outposts this way with those kinds of troops.” Martin said with a dismissing tone towards Vagus. Martin was even more sure that this Vagus was nothing but a lying piece of shit and had some how convinced Serenity of his bullshit.

     “It’s true. I went back after putting her somewhere safe to get supplies from the encampment mainly for Serenity and well …. HADES the Judge of the DAMNED showed up at least I am assuming it was HADES. I quickly turned around and headed back to where Serenity was” Vagus would say and it was true for the most part but not a hundred percent accurate.

     There was a collective gasp… news of HADES had been spreading among settlements and raiders alike. A mysterious being of godlike power who would and could lay waste to the most heavily fortified and armed groups. HADES’s targets were always raiders, slavers, gunrunners, super mutants. Rumor said that the legion was a target as well. What people had summed up was that HADES targeted evil specifically murders, rapists, slavers, raiders, essentially those who preyed upon good and upright folk of the waste. Beyond that little was know since even those that HADES had supposedly saved were often so frighten from the ordeal that they really couldn’t give much details on what HADES looked like.

     “Look if your not going to let us in then can I at least buy some clothing for Serenity and we will be on our way. I made a promise to take her to the Hole and I’m going to keep it, but to do that she needs adequate gear to survive the trip. I need to get back there after scoping out the region I’m a deep recon scout for the Hole and we are starting to expand our influence…. we’ve found away across the HOT SEA”. Vagus was starting to lose his patients since nothing was happening either turn them away or let them in either way Serenity was going with him.

     Martin glared at him and then looked at the others and realized not one of them had a gun trained on the stranger. Sighing as his shoulders dropped “Fine but so help me you try anything and it be the last damn thing you do”. Serenity released the gun as Martin turned around and the others headed back to their posts. Once Vagus was in the gate closed and he watched as they put three heavy steal beams across the gate not only bracing it but making it impossible to force open in any direction.  
  
     Stopping by Serenity’s side “You know that was a foolish thing to do the gun could have accidentally gone off, foolish but brave.” he’d say with a relieved breath. “Well guess we need to find a place to stay for the night, maybe find where they have their shops or trading area and I can make a few caps and get some information”. An idea hit him maybe they had a radio tower that he could use to contact the Hole, he’d have to see.

     Serenity looked at him and was about to lay into him that she had done it to keep him from being shot when she realized that he had been more concerned about her than himself. Were all monsters like this or just Vagus, she didn’t know. What she did know is she had never met anyone like him and for a brief moment her heart fluttered till his voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “They have a place where rooms can be rented and they have a traders market as well as a few shops that belong to people that live here. How long you planning on us staying here?” she asked curious as to what his plans maybe.

     “Well that depends on how friendly people are as well as how long it takes to get you physically ready to start traveling with me. Your definitely underfed, which means physically your in a weakened state so need to get you stronger and healthier”. It was true with the current state her body was in, she’d would easily succumb to the wastes. “Plus I need to find out if you have any useful skills or talents, and need to make sure you can shoot a gun with enough skill to typically hit what you aim for” he’d add.

     It sounded really bad yet Serenity saw hope in his words, hope that she wouldn’t be treated like glass anymore. That not only would she be allowed to do things but expected to. She was liking Vagus more and more. Grabbing his hand she started to lead him to where Trader’s could rent rooms to stay in. As they walked she waves to a few people she hadn't seen in several years, wondered about others she didn’t see and for the most part was just grateful to be free.

     Vagus suddenly stopped when he saw a sign on a building, it had a medical symbol on it and on the front door was a smaller sign that read “Doctor is in”. Looking over Serenity’s body he made a decision. “okay lets go get the room, I’d get you a separate one but I ain’t trusting them not to run off with you thinking they doing you a favor… it wouldn’t end well for them”.

     Serenity wondered why Vagus had suddenly stopped, but more than likely he had just seen something he hadn't seen before or was interested in. She shuttered at the tone he used when he made the comment about things not ending well. Something about that tone scared her, thought not for her sake but the sake of the town people.

     When they got to the rental rooms Mrs. Roberts started giving Vagus all kinds of hell about him sharing a room with Serenity she even offered up a free room for Serenity to stay in. Vagus wouldn’t have it an eventually after several promise’s from Vagus that he wouldn’t touch Serenity Mrs. Roberts finally rented him a room for a week at a fair price.

     Serenity had to hold back the laughter that was threatening to come out due to Mrs. Roberts worrying that Vagus would do something sexual to her. Wait could he? How would it feel? Not that she had any experience at all in that area aside from watching others fuck be it willingly or not. One thing she did get from being a slave was a healthy knowledge of sexual activities but no personal experience. This was foolish he was a skeleton it wasn’t like he had a shaft or even a tongue.

     Once they got settled in the room Mrs. Roberts brought some simple cloths for Serenity through Mrs. Roberts had to pull in the seems so that the clothing wouldn’t fall off Serenity’s body. Just some simple pants, socks, an under shirt and a long sleeve shirt to ensure that she wasn’t exposing nothing. Serenity couldn’t help but smile at Mrs. Roberts she was so big on what was proper for women to wear and what wasn’t. She felt bad for Vagus wearing all he was wearing couldn’t be comfortable at all, hopefully he wouldn’t have to keep it all on when they slept.

     True to form unlike other places Mrs. Roberts kept her rental rooms in the best condition she could. Sturdy furniture, clean beds, and rooms whose walls were painted when they could get paint and if not washed once a month. Vagus had to appreciate the conditions that Mrs. Roberts tried to create for those renting rooms. It showed a depth of character that one often didn’t find in the wastes even in a secure settlement such as this one.

     “Alright lets get going need to check the Traders area but first we have a little errand to run” he’d say before grabbing her hand. He was still chuckling when Mrs. Roberts kicked him out of the room he paid for so that she could fix Serenity’s new clothing so they wouldn’t fall off her frame. He had to admit he couldn’t wait to get her to the Hole and see how she blossomed. It was one thing that was constant that humans that ended up living in the Holes territory thrived and enjoyed life much more than those that didn't. They went from struggling to just make it to another day to living life, and with that people had a chance to become an actual person in his way of thinking.

     Vagus lead Serenity back to the main area of the settlement where they had come in from and right to the place that supposedly had a doctor. He was glad the sign was still up and lead her in. He was a bit surprised to find that the place looked spotless. It reminded him of pictures of a hospital from before the great war that the humans always talked about. A white protectron stood behind a counter.

     “How can I help you today?” it said in the same voice all protectron’s seemed to use. Really couldn’t they have made them with a bit of variety that voice could wear on ones nerves after a while. Walking up to the robot “She needs to be seen by the doctor, she’s underfed and not sure if anything else may be wrong with her… she’d been kept by slavers” Vagus said thought he doubt the machine would understand the concerns with being kept by slavers.

     “Understood sir, what is the patients name and I will need her to answer some questions before she can see the doctor”. The protectron would drone on and Vagus really was tempted to smash the thing if it hadn’t been for the fact that in this case it served a good purpose, rather than just running amok and shooting at anything that moved in the wastes. Thank goodness Techie had managed to get it so the ones at the Hole could be made silent and send reports to pip boys.

     “If Dr. Still’s is still here I’m a former patient Serenity Rose” Serenity would say to the machine. “One moment please while I look up your name”… “Patient file found, you are over do for your physical by more than one year, would you like to take your physical now?” it would ask.

     “Yes she would” Vagus answered for her. He didn’t know what her feelings were about getting a physical and quite frankly didn’t care she needed to get one to get a general assessment of her physical condition. “Understood that will be 25 caps please” it would respond. Vagus reached into a pocket and grabbed his bag of caps before pulling 25 out and placed them in the cap collector that the protectron was pointing to.

     “Payment has been made please take a seat while I notify Doctor Stills”. With that the protectron made its clunky way into the back. One good thing about if a protectron was after you they couldn't keep up with a human running which made evading them quite easy.

     A few minutes later an older bald gentleman came out wearing a white doctors smock. He had to at least be in his sixties if not older which meant the good doctor was tough as nails to have lived this long. “Good Lawd when that bucket of bolts said your name I thought it had a wire loose but its really you Serenity. I am so glad to see your still alive, and whose your friend?” Dr. Stills asked in a soft tender voice.

     “This is Vagus he saved me from my situation I owe him everything” she would admit before being embraced by the doctor receiving a tender but firm hug as if he was making sure she was real. “It’s so good to see you, truth be told I wasn’t sure if you were still here any more” she would say as a tear rolled down her face.

     “Shush ain’t nothing to cry about now, your here and safe. Mr Vagus I thank you, she’s one of mine one the one’s I helped bring into the world and if I’m lucky she be one the ones that out live me” Dr. Stills would say holding out a hand to Vagus.

     Vagus took his hand and shook it gently not wanting to risk injuring the older human. “Well when I saw that there was a doctor I had to bring her, I need to know what the state of her health is beyond being obviously under fed. As well as what I can do to help get her healthier, before we start traveling”.

     Dr. Stills raised an eye brow and a gave a slight chuckle. Seemed Serenity had found herself in the company of a rare individual. Thought he was a bit concerned with the fact that Vagus seemed intent on having Serenity go when he left.

     “Well then I best do a physical for you both and given you brought one of my children back to me it be on the house Mr. Vagus” Dr. Stills would say by way of thanks. Besides he wanted to get a good look at the man behind the suit. Since one could often learn much from persons facial expressions when they talked.

     “I thank you for your kind offer but I’ll pass I’m in perfect health, besides I am sure you don’t have the medical knowledge to give me a physical” Vagus would say. Dr. Stills started to speak when Serenity put her hand on his shoulder then look at Vagus. “Vagus it be simpler and easier on you both if you just showed him, he can be trusted” Serenity would say with almost a pleading tone to her voice. Since she didn’t want Dr. Stills to feel insulted or anything like that.

     Realizing that Serenity was right at least on the part of making things simple and easier. He reached around and pulled down his hood and then pulled the gas mask off. He wasn’t surprised by the doctors gasp and the look of disbelief. “Yes I’m a talking skeleton, no I am not undead, I’m a monster from the Hole, so as you can see I wasn’t trying to insult you by saying you didn’t have the knowledge but stating a fact, nor do you probably have the equipment.

Dr. Stills couldn’t believe what he was see and honestly if Serenity hadn’t been holding one his hands right now he would have thought this was just a messed up dream. Finally after several moments of trying to organize his brain and get it to function again he spoke “I see pardon my reaction thought I am sure your probably use to it even if you may not care for it. So the rumors at least some of them are true the Hole exists and so do monsters”.

     “Yes, and I will be taking Serenity with me to the Hole I made her a promise and I intend to keep it. Honestly if I thought you could survive the journey I’d take you to we could use more medical professionals, but if I am right your dedicated to your patients here” Vagus would say and grin showing that his teeth were not human not even counting his upper and lower fangs, but the fact that the rest of his teeth had well they looked similar to a sharks teeth than a humans which gave him kind of scary appearance when he opened his mouth like he had.

     Dr. Stills was utterly fascinated with what stood before him. Luckily he was able to respond to Vagus’s words. “Okay I see that explains why you want to know the state she is in. At least I will know where she is heading and it’s to a safer place than here, you have my thanks even if it feels like I’m going to lose her all over again. Your also correct I’m to dedicated to my patients here as for surviving the trip. With the state Serenity is in currently I have a far better chance than she does and that is just from a quick glance of her. I will ask that you keep her in town at least for the up coming week before leaving even if it just to go sight seeing, I have to run some tests that will take a while to get the results and till I do I don’t want her exerting herself in any way”. Dr Stills more or less ordered.

     Normally Vagus would be off put by someone giving him orders, but in this case he understood the orders were for Serenity’s best interests and came from someone that knew what they were talking about rather than someone that thought they knew things. “That’s fine I didn’t really plan on doing anything for at least a week or two. Kind of need to rest and recover my self been traveling for well over a month at a forced march pace. So I could use the down time. Question maybe you might have an answer to. Does this settlement have a radio tower even if its not working it might be of use to me. I need to attempt to contact the Hole to let them know my location and that I’m still alive” Vagus would ask.

     Dr Still’s let out a sigh of relief all to often people gave him excuses about his doctor orders, but this Vagus seemed to have no problem with them and in fact seemed to acknowledge the reasoning behind them. “Radio tower why yes well not here specifically we have a smaller out post about half a mile from here that has one it was working up to a month ago when super mutants attempted to take the place over some the equipment got damaged. So all we can do is receive signals” he would explain. “BUT the issue will be getting permission to enter the outpost and then getting permission to use it. It’s rather vital to our survival out here as we get reports from the NCR and other groups so gives us a heads up on the weather at times, as well as if trouble might be coming our way”.

     Thinking for a moment since he had some technical skill, Techie had insisted he learned the basics of a lot of things if he was going to be a deep recon scout for the Hole. In fact she had convince both Saeva and Sheppard that it should be a mandatory requirement for all deep recon scouts since they would basically be on their own and would need to be able to maintain and repair their own gear. “Well I might be able to fix it and I know at the very least I can hook up my radio equipment to it and send a broadcast, perhaps my having some technical skill could grant me access even if it has to be under watch and under guard” Vagus would offer up.

     “I’ll talk to Martin and the others who are in charge of keeping our settlement and outpost secure about it, if you could fix it we’d really be in your debt. I’ll talk to them after we get her physical done through I will have to ask you to remain out here to protect her privacy.”

     “He don’t need to stay here, he needs to know what you find out as much as you and I so I can get healthier” Serenity started to argue. Vagus was just a bit touched that she trusted him that much. Since a lot could come up in a physical that she might not want to share.

     “Oh that isn’t really the issue so much as well...” Dr. Stills blushed a bit and Vagus immediately caught on.

     “I think he is more concerned with you having to bare your body in front of me” he would chuckle which had Serenity blushing when he explained it. Damn she looked adorable when she blushed. Momentarily stopping himself mentally when the hell had he thought a human was adorable beyond children because they were just amusing, his sister in-law was an exception because she was just beautiful. Not in a want to bone her kind of way but in general all around type of way. Yet here he was thinking that Serenity was adorable and not in the way he thought of children. Maybe he’d spent too much time alone.

     Serenity blushed she couldn’t help it, the idea of being exposed to a cute guy like Vagus. Wait she called a skeleton cute. What was wrong with her. She had nothing against him that wasn’t the issue, but he was a skeleton not a human. Than again he was a wonderful caring being. Yeah he had a cute personality that is what she meant. SO she kept telling herself despite remembering how nice it felt when he had hugged her and let her cry her eyes out. He had felt really good against her body. The hell was she thinking that for, too much time since she had any comfort from another being had messed her up a bit she was sure of it. “Oh I see…. Um yeah why don’t you wait up here” she sorta squeaked out causing Vagus to laugh even more.

     “Alright lets get you in the back Serenity this is going probably take longer than you might remember but there are a lot of questions I will need to ask that I haven’t had to in the past, plus more extensive testing and examinations will be needed. I’d say you should go walk about the settlement Mr. Vagus but given it seems you trying to conceal what you are and I’m betting you didn’t get too friendly of a welcome it probably not the best of idea’s hopefully later I can help with that thought.” With all that said Dr. Stills took Serenity’s hand and lead her to one the examination rooms while giving orders for the Protectron to bring various tests and supplies he’d need to give Serenity a full in-depth physical and checkup. He planned on making a copy of her medical records to take with them since he was betting that if monsters existed than the rumors of their medical abilities were also true. He was going to be sad when she finally left but at the same time he was happy and grateful that she would be heading off to a much safer and better life.


End file.
